As You Lie Awake
by Choi Jiyu
Summary: Lucy is a wingless, fallen angel that descends from the Heaven's Palace to find her scattered feathers in Earthland. Zeref is the immortal Black Wizard who had sinned multiple times and wishes to purge the world. As Lucy finds her way to him, feelings blossomed as love befalls them, would Zeref finally comes to realise that lying awake is better than killing himself? (LucyxZeref)
1. The Wingless Angel

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does.**

**Warning: Pardon my unruly grammar. I have yet to proofread it lol.**

*

**_Prolouge: _****_The Wingless Angel_**

Fresh, hot tears endlessly fall in the abyss of his gentle onyx pools as a he traced the huge scar on her smooth back. His soft fingers slowly glided with the previous wound that symbolises the torn wings of hers.

"You don't have to feel bad about it." She chuckled as she faced him, cupping his face with her hands. "See? I'm perfectly fine now."

"No," he replied, closing his eyes as he tried to stop his own tears. "You choose to tore your wings for someone like me. Why did you do that for something so pathetic?"

"Zeref, its not like that . . ."

"I don't deserve your kindness, I don't deserve your gentle touch. I simply don't deserve you, Lucy. I'm a pathetic person who burried himself in his own sins . . ." Another bunch of tears fall as he continue to weep in agony. "I wish to die and repent, and I don't want to drag you with me."

"Stop tormenting yourself, Zeref. Look at me," she smiled as their eyes met. Black to brown. His are bloodshot, hers are gentle. His heart started to flutter, an involuntary reaction whenever she was near. "I wanted to show you the beautiful things in the world. I want you to feel how precious you are to me." She gently brush her lips to his quivering ones. "I don't mind being a wingless angel if it means being with you."

Zeref tore his gaze away from her, his cheeks taint slight red. "That's not it . . . Is it worth it that you chose being fallen for someone like me?"

Lucy just smiled, wrapping her arms around his waist._ "I just love how I fall this hard, yes."_

*

**Author's Note: Hello, guys! I'm new to the enviroment, but writing has always been my passion. Do excuse my grammatical errors since English is not my first language. But I'll try hard to correct them.**

**Anyway, Fairy Tail will always be my favourite anime. I started watching ever since I was in Junior High School, and I still remember how I wrote some cringy fanfictions on my notebooks, but now, I decided to write some of them here and share it with you guys. And now, tada! _As You Lie Awake_ is a special baby to me. Its not my first story, but definitely my first fanfiction. I had a dream about this one, and I decided, Lucy should be perfect as the MC instead of Mavis (Yes, I do consider the First Master since Zeref is the ML) but I don't want to. I have other plans for her lol.**

**Well, then, I hope you write some reviews and hear your thoughts. Some recommendation is good, too. And, lastly, I'll ask you, the one reading this; do you want short updates every two days (perhaps 1,000 to 1,500 words) or long chapters once a week (2,000 to 4,000 words)? You can choose for me, thanks!**

**Cheerios! - _Francene Kwon_**


	2. The First Clue

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Fairy Tail, it all belongs to Hiro Mashima. Though the plot is mine lol.**

**Warning: ****I have yet to proofread it. So do excuse my poor grammar haha.**

*****

**_Chapter 01: _****_The First Clue_**

There are two things that angels must protect; their wings and their halo. Their wings symbolises their holy power, a sacred gift from the gods. Each of its feathers could grant any desire, could cure any illness and a gift of life. On the other hand, these feathers can also grant catastrophe and violence, if the human whom the angle given it to deemed undeserving of its divine prowess came in contract with it; it will become corrupt and dark. The halo is important as well. It symbolises the angel's immortal life.

When an angel decided to gift her feather to a human, a shard of their memory will be taken away. And when the entirety of the wings were torn apart . . . Oh, how could an angel live without her wings?

But, it is worth it.

Lucy nodded to herself, smiling. "Yes, it is." But her smile slowly vanished the moment she realised what was happening to her. "But at least give me a decent ride down!" She screeched as the strong wind slapped her face.

Closing her eyes, her ears went almost deaf with the sound of the roaring wind. She tried to fight off the gravity but she continuously falling down like a rapid washing machine. She lost her wings already, she can't come up with a decent way to descend from the Heaven's Palace without this free fall.

In just a few moments later, she brashly landed on a tree and broke a few branches. The tree, despite being so sturdy, cannot support the strong winds and she ended up being sushi the next minute.

"Argh! What a luck! The first time I land in the ground turns out like this, too!" Lucy huffed as she tried to disentangled the twisted branch that went inside her white robes.

The moment she got to her feet, a smile graced upon her fair face while spreading her arms as if she wanted to fly again. "Let's see what kind of place is Earthland now." She chuckled happily to herself before skipping away to wherever her feet leads her to.

Lucy looks like a sixteen years old girl with curly golden blonde hair that reaches to her waist. There was a subtle shift of colour in her soft chocolate brown eyes as it glimmer in the sunlight that brought a slight glint of gold in them. Her long, white robes reach her feet and her arms are well hidden beneath its long sleeves.

She was an archangel of life and vitality. But she was a lot braver than the other seven archangels she knew. Those bastards are . . . Oh, well.

And this is how their story began.

*

Out of the thirteen feathers she have, only one was left in her possession. As those things holds her memories in the past, one could consider her amnesic. And because of this one feather, Lucy was able to have a clue where she could start searching for the rest of her fallen feathers.

There was a boy named Zeref she met in the past. She can't exactly remember the reason why she gave a feather to him, but Lucy could only guess that he was the root of this all--not in the negative way, of course. He was her first clue, and she would start by asking for directions on where she could find him.

It took her two days until she finally find her way out of the forest. The town before her left a bubbling excitement and amazement inside Lucy. She never had the chance to visit Earthland again due to her schedule in the Heaven's Palace, thus she don't know what are the things that lies ahead of her. The society before was completely different from now. She had guessed that its been a few years since she last descended, and thus, Zeref was probably a grown up man now.

Lucy like it, though. The people in the town are all nice to her, offering directions when they thought that she's lost. She liked how the crystal river crossing over the towering buildings and she just found herself walking on the edges of the bridge. If the circumstances are different, maybe she could've stay here a little bit longer. But she have to gather her memories, so seeking for Zeref's whereabouts should be her top priority for now.

Lucy heard that Zeref was spotted in a place called Oshibana, and thus, it becomes her next destination after Magnolia. It was hard to travel via this vehicle called train since she have no source of income as of the moment. Somehow, a woman had been kind enough to lend her some money after Lucy helped her hauled some of her things.

"Its seemed as if you're on your way to your long journey, young lady." The woman said once. Her eyes twinkled with mirth and wisdom.

"I am." Lucy beamed cheerfully.

"The path you are walking is not an easy one." The woman warned, patting her shoulders gently. "But, I know you'll be able to reach your heart's _final_ desire."

"I know," she pursed her lips, eyes lowering. "I won't give up. Thank you . . ." She paused, asking for the woman's name.

"Hilda,"

"Thank you, Hilda-san."

Today, Lucy was walking in the pavements of a country called Seven, located in the northeast peninsula of Fiore. The country was nearly poor, but the citizens seemed to care less about that fact. The living humans here, despite that, was lush and kind. Unlike the previous country she come across with, people there are rude and simply devils alike.

Lucy gathered that a dark guild at Seven was obsessed in meeting Zeref for years and they nearly succeeded. She wanted to see if its true or not.

Her memories about Zeref was hazy and blurred. She barely could recognise his face. She was so sure that he was already a grown up man nowadays. Before, he was just a small boy she met randomly, but now, Lucy couldn't believe that he was the black wizard that everyone fears. He surely don't look that vicious before.

Still, she wanted to meet him again.

Sighing childishly, Lucy exhaled loudly. "Zeref, Zeref . . . Where art thou?" She muttered to herself.

Traveling to Oshibana had been long since gone. Perhaps a month ago. Or maybe more. She's not sure. Lucy wasn't that fond of keeping time because it made her think of the Heaven's Palace.

The previous country she'd been was the most horrible so far. Slave trades, selling of women, and dark guilds are everywhere. Zeref was no longer there when she arrived, at least not anymore. Sadly, the dark guild she tracked was completely wiped away. As a user of a holy power, she manage to sense a lot of dark magic everywhere. If Zeref was once there, it seemed like he did not make his presence known.

On the other hand, Lucy was surprised that almost all of the mages she come across with are shocked that she was looking for the black wizard. Some did called her shameless idiot and said she's just wasting her time. But there are some that gave her the informations she need without judging her.

Thank the gods that kind of people still exist nowadays.

Days later, she arrived at her destination. She could hear laughter from the inside of the building, but with the familiar dark magic looming around, Lucy could only shook her head and walk away.

Zeref was no longer there. She was late. Again.

This frustrates her, but who cares? She have to do this, for the sake of her memories.

*

"Zeref? Don't be stupid, kid. That man is dangerous." The old man laughed incredulously at her.

"I know," she puffed her cheeks.

"Very good! Don't involve yourself with that kind of guy. You wouldn't want to get in his nerves." He smirked, waving his hand dismissively. "Why are you seeking for him, anyway?"

"He holds something that's mine. I'm planning to claim it back." She seriously said. "If you don't know where he is, then I'll get going." She started to walk away when the old man called her again.

"I do have an informatiom about him." He said, puffing a smoke in his tabacco. "You won't be able to find him here, I assure you." He shook his head. "No one really knows where his exact location is, but from what I heard, the black wizard don't stay close in civilisations. Try looking in the forests, you may find him there. You can ask the people in Pergrande Kingdom first, they might know any information about him."

"Pergrande . . ." She repeated, frowning. "From what I heard, that was a hard country to enter."

"And you're looking for Zeref!" The old man said sarcastically. "I wonder which one is harder?"

"Whatever, thank you anyway." Lucy walked out of the bar where she met the old man. She would go to Pergrande this time, and she's praying to the heavens that he was there. He should be there, yes.

"Why are you looking for the black wizard, young lady?" A woman's voice shook her out of her reverie. When she looked up, she saw a middle aged woman--the likes of Hilda's age.

"He's in possession of something that is mine. I'm just going to claim it back." She replied ruefully, repeating what she said to the old man.

"Child, Zeref is a very dangerous man. Are you not scared of him?" She asked worriedly.

"Scared? I am not." She blinked. She's not scared at all, to be honest. Aside from having a shard of the entirety of her holy power, she was so sure that Zeref is still the same child she met before. That soft-spoken and kind-hearted boy who she had granted her feather.

The woman stared at her, surprise to see that there are no tinge of single fear in her brown eyes. Instead, Lucy's eyes just expressed curiosity and wonder. She sighed. "I may know where he is."

Her heart leaped in excitement. "You do?! B-But, I heard that . . ."

"No one knows where he is actually." The woman clarified. "But he was searching for something lately, and his presence becomes stronger and more oppresive. I heard that he likes to reside in Fiore, but if you search beyond the Fiore's islands, you might have the chance to find him there."

"Seriously?"

She just have been there! That was like, the opposite side of the country she's currently standing at.

"Yes." The woman replied, smiling. "But you have to be extremely careful. If you aren't, you might have lost your chance to claim your thing, let alone you lose your own life in the process."

Lucy thanked all the dudes she come across with. As well as fate and the gods from above. This time, she have a solid clue where he is! Finally.

Lucy gave her a bow in respect. "Thank you so much, Ma'am! If you need something, I might give you what I have."

"No need!" The woman refused. "But I could ask is your safe return instead."

The wingless angel smiled genuinely. "I will."

*

**Author's Note: ****Here's the chapter for the week! I will probably update every Mondays, Wednesdays or Sundays. And no Tuesdays and Thursdays because of my Accounting and Research classes always put me in hell. This will be the last that I will update in Thurs because we're currently free! So, yeah, I hope you like this and do pardon my unruly grammar because I have not proofread it lol.**

**Cheerios! - _Francene Kwon_**


	3. The Wonders of Life

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does.**

**Warning: Due to my lazy antics, I have yet to proofread this chapter so excuse my unruly grammar. Thanks.**

*

**_Chapter 02: _****_The _****_Wonders of Life_**

He was drowning. He is still drowning in the pits of his own sins and conscience. He wishes to die, but failing every time. He research ways on how to kill himself; he built an entire army of different demons but none of them could take away his immortal life. At least, not yet.

Its been four hundred years since then. He's tired of waiting. Four hundred years of suffering is already enough to fulfill his desires, he thought.

He has two desires, which sounds so simple and selfish. He wish to die, that's the first. And the second is that, he wish that if he died, no one will care. Of course, no one will care. No one will grieve when he's gone. He is the immortal black wizard who killed countless of innocent and destroyed millions of lives over the course of those hundreds of years. Its normal that people would only desire that he would die a painful death, rather than to care about him.

His curse controls him--most of the time. Naturally, he is a boy who deeply cared about humanity so much. Aside from his brother's revival, that was one of the reasons why he sought ways on how to recurrect the dead. Because he don't want to see people cry and grieve. His sympathetic heart can't take it.

But, look what happened because of being a soft person. He become cursed. His innocent thoughts become impure. His genuine smiles become evil laughs. His once normal life turn upside down. The contradiction in his mind grew worst.

How do undone the things that he did? Could he even repent? When will he have the will to laugh a real laugh? Or cry a real tear? He wonders what is the taste of true happiness?

But, what's the point of all happiness if humans ended up hurting themselves? How can love save people, when it only makes them miserable? So many questions inside his head, so many that he don't know if he wanted any answers to begin with.

He could do nothing when he killed people, animals, any living being that near him. He'd seen so many ages rise, and then fall in the end. Humans tend to repeat the same sins over and over again. So as him.

"Natsu . . ." He breathed slowly, his back leaning on the tree. "I want to see you soon . . ."

The sooner, the better. When his brother is ready to take his life away, maybe then, he will become truly happy. Yes, he will. Because death will set him free.

He was about to doze off, feeling melacholy and lonely, when he overheard a female voice singing in the distance. Peeking through his closed eyelids with his forelocks covering his eyes, he found himself listening to the soulful voice.

_"Release me from the __most_ _mysterious wait of mine. The stars are falling, wind is blowing. Finally, once again, you are in the embrace of my arms. Our two hearts tremble together."_

His curiosity was finally piqued. He has no knowledge of the song, but that voice was singing it in the ancient languange. Not much known about this, even if someone as old as him, but to think this woman knows an old language . . . Who is she?

He decided to listen more.

_"Believe in my unwavering sincerity. Within a thousand years of wait, you have my promise. No matter how much cold winter has passed . . . I will never let you go."_

What a beautiful song.

Her voice is also very beautiful.

_"Now, tightly hold my hands, and close your eyes. Please think about the times when we were deeply in love. We loved each other too much that is why we have been in such pain. We cannot even say the words "I love you" to each other."_

That's where he realised that the voice was approaching the tree where he was leaning. He was confused and startled. He didn't even sensed her life force!

She was humming the song when she stopped at the opposite side of the tree. His breath hitched. If she neared him any further, there's a high chance that his curse will be activated. And she . . . She will . . .

"Hello, how are you?" A sweet, gentle voice greeted from the other side of the tree. He could finally sensed her, she was now sitting at the tree branch from the other side above. "Someone's there, right?"

He gritted his teeth. "D-Don't come near me, please."

"Hmm? Why? Do you have a disease or something?" She joked, chuckling.

His lips curled slightly. "Perhaps it is." He told her. "A curse, to be specific."

"Don't worry, curses won't work on me." She said lightly. "You heard me, right? My singing, that is."

"Yes,"

"Ah, its embarrasing. Its late when I realise that someone's here with me." She laughed gently. "Anyway, I'm Lucy. You are?"

He smiled sadly, his voice full of disdain. "If I tell you who am I, you'll get scared of me."

And he don't want that.

This girl . . . Someone ticks off in the back of his mind. He couldn't just put a finger on it.

"I'm not scared, though. If you want to, I'll come down and see you to prove it." She suggested.

He instantly snapped, his shoulders tensed. "Don't come!" He shouted, and he felt the girl jolted in her seat, surprise at the sudden raise of his tone. "You'll die if you do! I do not want to commit another sin, please."

There was silence between them for a moment. He bit his lower lip, thinking that maybe he scared the girl too much.

"A-Alright, I'll stay here if you want me to." She muttered silently, leaning on the tree.

He lowered his head, his shoulders relaxing as crossed his arms. For a moment he hesitated, before he said, "if you don't mind . . . C-Can you sing again?"

"If it makes you feel better, I won't mind." She cheered up again._ "Now tightly hold my hands, and close your eyes. Please think about the times when we were deeply in love. We loved each other too much that is why we have been in such pain. We cannot even say the words "I love you" to each other."_

Slowly, his eyes fluttered close. There's something in her sweet voice that lulled him to sleep. For a moment, he feared that his contradictory curse will strike and killed the girl not far away from him, but when he felt that his pulsing power within him was normal, he felt confused.

_"Let love filled our hearts and be an eternally blooming flowers. Together we will travel through the endless space and time. Only true love will follow us. Pass through endless time space . . ."_

Why?

That is the question that lingered inside his mind until he finally succumb in the eternal darkness.

_"We cannot even say the words "I love you" to each other."_

*

He estimated its been hours before he slowly comes back to consciousness. Before he tried to open his eyes, he found out that he was not leaning on the tree like he used to. Instead, he felt the softness of the fresh grass he was lying at. Soft fingers glided gently on his hair, caressing his scalp. He liked how gentle it felt.

He opened his eyes, looking around. He was still inside the forest, but he was in a clearing as he lie comfortably in the grass.

"Good afternoon," a beautiful woman greeted him with a big smile. He stared at her for a moment, admiring her angelic beauty. Her soft chocolate brown eyes glinted with a slight shimmer of gold. She was looking down on him as he lie his head on her lap, the curly golden blonde hair almost falling on his face looks aesthetically divine in his eyes.

Then, realisation finally hit him.

He sat up abruptly, almost bumping his head on her. He jolted away from her with trembling hands, his heart palpitating that his ears hurt. "You . . ." Pain shoot through his mind as he felt the familiar unwanted power building inside his body. He clenched his head with his hands.

But just before the wave of black predation was released, he felt a small hand clamped his shoulders. At that touch, something in his mind slammed shut and the building curse power vanished instantly.

"Uhm, I know you're not okay but, what's wrong?" The blonde woman asked, concern evident in her sweet voice.

He looked at her in shocked. Did she stopped his magic? How?

"You . . . Who are you?"

She smiled warmly. "I told you earlier, right? I am Lucy."

"What are you, Lucy?" He asked suspiciously at her.

Lucy laughed half-heartedly, patting his head. "Oh, did you remember what am I?"

A look of confusion crossed his fair face. "I . . . I . . ." Although she looked oddly familiar, he couldn't point a finger who she was.

Lucy nodded in understanding, smiling. "Its alright if you don't remember. For you, its been four hundred years anyway so its natural that you forget about me."

"W-What?" His brows furrowed even more. "You know me?"

"Of course! The only person I remember is you, Zeref." She lifted a brow at him. "Good thing I come across you here accidentally."

Zeref shuddered when his name rolled in her mouth. Something in his memory snapped. As a memory from four hundred years ago flashed before his eyes, a certain recollection in his mind came. A golden feather, a beautiful blonde girl with golden eyes, a blessing from hundreds of years ago.

As Lucy saw the recognition glinted in his onyx black eyes, she smiled. "I'll talk to you later, for now, you should rest well. You seem exhausted." She plopped down on the grassy plain again and patted her lap. "Come, I won't mind if you use me as a pillow again."

He looked flustered and reluctant, but he still walked towards her nonetheless. This caused her smile to widened. Zeref slowly lied his head on her lap, and Lucy instantly run her fingers on his hair. He couldn't help but to groan slightly at her gentle touch.

Zeref could clearly remember the day he met her four hundred years ago. But because of his curse, his happy memories was been pushed away in the deepest part of his mind. Now that she's here, that memory become fresh and lively in his mind again.

But, why does Lucy looked so young like back then? Is she . . . An immortal as well?

*

Lucy smiled lightly as he watched him sleep in her lap. At first, he seemed so tense and reluctant, but when she started to caress his black hair, he finally felt comfortable.

Maybe he was still worried that his curse will affect her. Lucy become aware of his inability to control his power just by talking to him. But beyond his expectations, archangels, despite being wingless like her, cannot be affected by any form curses, or magic to be specific. That's because she's being protected by her holy powers.

Holy powers are sacred gift from the gods. It is neither magic nor curses. Its simply like the name implies, a power used to hail divinities. Holy powers doesn't work the same as magic, they work on different ways.

For example, each feather of their wings can grant one person's greatest desire. There are some holy powers that could grant happiness, love, life, peace and anything that magic can't achieve. That's the holy powers.

Lucy looked down again, admiring his handsome face. He doesn't look very vicious and evil like humans portrayed him to be. His black eyes looked so lonely and conflicted, the first thing she noticed when she saw him. He was afraid of hurting anyone, that's why he doesn't dare to waltz in the civilisations, unless the situation calls for it. He also looks like to be the emotionally fragile type.

Looking up at the bright sun, she realised that dusk will soon come. Lucy remembered traveling to Pergrande Kingdom in the hopes of bumping into him somewhere there. Yet, she didn't expect that he will no longer be there. There was packed with unusual dark magic, so she suspected that he'd been there earlier.

Lucy felt so disappointed, but she didn't let that discourage her to halt her mission. So, she rented a boat and hopped into one island after another. And soon, she just found herself in an island called Tenrou. Apparently, this island was within the jurisdiction of Fiore; where her favourite city, the Magnolia, was located.

The ocean was oddly quiet and calm, the wind was but a gentle zephyr blowing. Dark clouds hovered around the island and the island looked dangerous from her point of view. Although the island itself was odd due to its shape, still, she could feel a slight pulse of power radiating at the bottom of the landform.

Holy power, perhaps? But, why would a human island needed to produce holy powers anyway? Maybe she should investigate it, too.

Walking inside the dark abyss with towering dark trees on sight, Lucy felt a sudden shiver. She never liked dark places to begin with. The surroundings doesn't look . . . Uh, alive anymore. Honestly, there were no sign of life at all. No animals in sight, so far. The plants are withered, and every trees are dead. But, to her confusion, the looming death was just in a portion of the island. On another part, the living organisms were lush and fertile.

Still, in the part where she stands, it smelled of rotting corpse and freshly-dugged earth. Like death itself was claiming its territory.

Her feet was getting cold, and if Lucy don't move or continue walking, she's afraid she'll freeze herself here.

"I'm scared," she trembled, but keeps her feet going. She can't stand death and its dark antics, Heaven knew it. But she have to do this. Yes, she have to. Lucy have that gut feeling that she'll meet him today. "Argh! I've had enough of this darkness!"

Lucy swiped her hand in front of her and a wave of golden ball of holy energy emerged in front of her. She never thought that she'll use her power as a light to her surroundings.

She walked again, singing her favourite song as she looked for any sign of the person she sought for. And not too long later, she finally found him there.

Lucy didn't really expect him to change so much, but the once little boy with chubby cheeks and a pair of big, curious black eyes she met a long time ago is now a grown up man. He just looked so . . . Handsome. Before, she would just pat his head like a mother to her six year old child, but now, ah . . . The wonders of life.

Lucy smiled as she stared at his sleeping face and chuckled to herself. "Really, the wonders of life indeed."

*

**Author's Note: The update for this week, guys! They finally meet, after the long wait. Haha. And oh, if you're wondering about the song I chose, its name is _Endless Love_ by Jackie Chan and Kim Hee Seon in their movie _The Myth_. Its a love love guys, you should watch it! Its one of my fave action movies. The song was sung in both Chinese and Korean, that's why Zeref said it was an ancient language lol. Anyway, Endless Love will be the theme song of this story; there's a lot of theme songs actually hehe. You'll get spoilers if you read the lyrics behind these song, promise.**

**Cheerios! - _Francene Kwon_**


	4. The Lost Feathers

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does.**

**Warning: Due to my lazy antics, I have yet to proofread this chapter so excuse my unruly grammar. Thanks.**

*

**_Chapter 03: _****_The Lost Feathers_**

Its nearly two hours when Zeref gained consciousness again. He realised that the sun will soon arrived at the horizon. Lucy beamed at him as he disentangled himself away from her. His black eyes looked at her in unmasked suspicion and doubt, with a tinge of surprise and concern at the same time.

"I told you, right? Curses don't work on me. Look, I'm still alive." Lucy keep the smile on her face as she spread her arms to tell him that she was perfectly fine.

Zeref relaxes, but he still keeps a fine distance between them. "Lucy," he slowly called, he ket her name rolled in his tongue. "I somewhat remember you, but why are you here?"

Lucy's face crossed with confusion. "What do you mean? I'm here because I'm looking for you."

"I mean," he looked away. "Four hundred years had passed since then, why do you look like . . . You were back then?"

"Same as you," Lucy plainly pointed at him. "I'm an immortal, too, I guess. I'm afraid you're too young back then to remember my words . . . Ah." She teased him.

"You're an immortal?" Zeref looked genuinely surprised. "B-But . . ."

"Come here, little boy, I'll tell you everything I remember." She grinned at him, patting the space beside her.

"I'm not a little boy anymore." He muttered defiantly before he sat where he stood, a fine distance between them. "And, why are you searching for me, anyway?"

"I need your help," her smile slowly slipped away, her face turned serious. "You're the person I encounter in Earthland that I could still remember, that's why I sought ways to find you."

His brows furrowed. "What? My help? I am not the same boy I was back then."

"I know." Lucy nodded. "But I really need your help. As I told you before, I am one of the archangels of the Heaven's Palace. But years ago, something must've happen because my wings were torn apart, my feathers scattered and I don't have any idea where to look for them. Angel's feathers have a shard of our memory, and I only left with one. The thing that I remember about you is that . . ." She paused, glancing at him. "I gave you one of my thirteen feathers, but I don't remember why."

"Feathers . . ." He held his head with one hand as he massage his temples. "Yes, I do remember you gave me one. But, I do not know where is it now."

"What?!" Lucy cried, her jaw dropped. "B-But . . . W-Why?!"

Zeref looked at her with a stern expression, her almost forlorn expression pained him for some reason, but he keep his ground. "The following day when you left me, your feather disappeared where I left it. I tried searching, but I couldn't find it anywhere."

"That can't be," Lucy gritted her teeth in disbelief. Now, what should she do next? The feather she expected was nowhere to be found! Ah, what a luck. The world is huge and round, just where she would start seeking for her lost feathers? The first clue she have . . . Is nowhere near impossible to find.

"Are your lost feathers that important to you?" Zeref looked thoughtful.

"Very," Lucy nodded absent-mindedly. "I'm like a lost child without a memories in my life. God, I don't remember a single thing, aside from meeting you, because I only have one left with me. At least, the memory I had with you kept me sane all this time." She chuckled ruefully.

"I'll help you find them," Zeref suggested, his lips pressed into a thin line.

She was taken aback. "You will?"

He quickly added. "On one condition."

Lucy flinched like a little rabbit at his cold gaze. Zeref knew that she was desperate. He knew that she can't search for her feathers on her own. He knew that she needed him. He knew that she needed his help. Damn it. Lucy, despite knowing that Zeref is the black wizard of the human-kind, she would accept his condition without further ado. If it means getting her memory back, she would accept every conditions he have.

Lucy exhales sharply. "Oh, a-alright. I-I accept!" She bravely told him with her hear proudly raised.

To her utter surprise, and almost give her a heart attack, Zeref instantly stepped in front of her. Her eyes widened. She didn't felt him move!

His face leaned until their faces were inches apart. His black eyes bore right into her soul as his lips curled into an evil smile. "Until we collect all of your feathers, you have to accompany me wherever I go. Be my companion or I won't help you."

She grazed her brown eyes on him bravely. "I will."

*

"Where are we going?" Lucy asked curiously as she tailed behind Zeref, who was a few steps ahead of her. The guy was clearly uncomfortable and cautious in her presence, what, with that distance he always keep.

"I'm just going to visit an old friend before we set on our journey." He answered coldly, clearly dismissing the subject.

"Oh," she nodded and remained quiet while they walk, humming the soft tune of Endless Love as she did so.

Whoever this friend of his was, he or she is probably an important person to Zeref, for him to paid them a visit. Honestly, even before he was a small brat, Zeref isn't the type of people that like to socialise with people. He was a sympathetic kid, yes, but he was never been the friendly type. Lucy even assumed that he had no friends at all, as rude as that may sound. Thus, she did not want to ruin his visit just because she wanted to set off on their journey immediately.

She was halfway to the chorus of her humming melody when Zeref asked her a question. "Have you heard about the guild called Fairy Tail?" His black eyes glimmered in curiosity.

"Fairy Tail?" Lucy furrowed her brows, before she nodded, beaming. "Yep, I've met a few of them when I'm traversing Magnolia. They're all great people--rowdy, but brilliant, very." She chuckled, reminiscing some fresh memories when she travelled to find Zeref, oblivious to the fact that Zeref himself was looking at her from the corner of his eyes with a mysterious glint.

With a fond smile, Zeref stared ahead of them, his expression incomprehensible as if he was thinking of something that only he knows. "Well, they might be here in a few more months." He told her indifferently. "During that time, we'll come back here. I have something important to do. For now, however, we'll try to find your feathers whereabouts."

"We're going to travel, then?" Her voice laced with excitement and mirth. He nodded, glancing at her. "Well, its not like I'm being demanding or something, but I have a feeling that I should hurry up and collect all twelve of them within this year or the next."

"I guess so," he replied, pressing his lips together.

Lucy looked at him with her big, brown eyes with that familiar tinge of shimmering gold. "Say, do you ever . . . Uh, think about your humanity? Or the absence thereof?"

"I did, once in a while." He openly admitted with a pensive air around him, though he doesn't seem offended at all. "Being an immortal, I have the whole eternity to think about those things. Dark thoughts came when I'm angered, but was subdued when I realised that living around me has died. The most painful part of being an immortal is probably the fact that everyone around you is born and died, but you're just stuck there, waiting for eternity to end--which, in fact, is endless."

Lucy stared at him with agreement. She is an immortal herself, but she don't know the pain of being a human immortal. His expression was longing, with a speck of both sadness and regret.

"It pained me to watch the people I met grew old, have a family of their own, live their lives happily, then die, and be reincarnated again." He told her. "It only took me a day to realised that I won't be normal again. When my teachers, along with my schoolmates died because of me, that I have been strucked by a curse. I won't be able to live my life like how I planned it to be, because I was just stuck here forever, searching for a perfect place to rest."

Stunned, Lucy could only stared at him. "Its . . . Quite strange that you would open up to me, though."

Zeref shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "You're going to travel with me for quite some time, so might as well. Besides," he tilted his head to look at her walking behind him. "You already know me as a mortal child. What's the difference when you know the immortal me, right?"

"I guess," Lucy clicked her tongue. "I don't really remember much how we've met, though."

"You'll know soon." Zeref hummed and silence pierced the environment. They continue to walk until they stopped at the foot of a huge grave. Lucy was amazed to see the huge tree surrounding it. She could feel the holy power radiating from it.

Zeref smiled gently before sitting in front if the grave, placing his hand on the headstone fore dusting off the dried leaves that gathered around it.

"I'll step back, take your time." Lucy grinned at him, but when he answered her with silence, she started to walk away. She felt somehow uncomfortable with the thought that she's disturbing him during his special visit with his friend--whoever that was.

Instead of wandering aimlessly like a fool, Lucy decided to follow the pulsing of holy power she felt the moment she stepped on this island. It piqued her interest, really. There's no way that holy powers could regenerate at a human island, so how?

Lucy reached the most distinctive element of the island; the so-called Great Tenrou Tree, an enormous tree with curved trunk and large branches. This is the place where she intensely felt the pulsing holy power.

She crouched and placed her fingers on the ground. Closing her eyes, Lucy transfered some of her power onto the ground until it travels to the Tenrou Tree's big roots. Retrieving her hand, a look of surprise crossed her face.

"What's wrong?" Zeref's voice echoed behind her. He's back, at last.

Whipping her head to him, she blinked her eyes. She tried to open her mouth to ask him, but closed it again. His face lacked the emotions he had earlier, with his lips pressed hard together.

"Oh, nothing." She beamed, pointing at the massive tree before them. "Its just that, I never expected that this island is protected by a divine entity. That's why I felt a faint surge of holy power here."

"Divine entity?" He frowned.

Lucy nodded. "I don't know who he is, but I'm sure its definitely a divine entity in the Heaven's Palace--in my home." She said. "I tried to call him, but he seem asleep for some odd reasons."

"I see," he muttered, glancing at the tree before he turned his back at her. "Let's go,"

Lucy dusted off her hands before she jogged behind him with a calm smile. "Where are we going now?" She asked him.

"We'll set off tomorrow. For now, let's find some place to camp for the night." He replied coldly as he lead the way, deciding to stay farthest to the grave. Lucy was curious, but she didn'k ask why he's suddenly displeased.

"Zeref, you--"

"You should sleep," he cut her off, closing his eyes as he leaned on a tree. "You'll need it for tomorrow."

"Okay," frowning, Lucy turned to her side. "Good night,"

He didn't answer. But the moment his fingers touch her head, slowly caressing her hair, Lucy decided that she didn't particularly mind his silent treatments.

*

**Author's Note: I'll update every Sundays, guys. I've decided that its probably the best and free day I have lol.** **If you're notified with some repeated chapters, please do not mind them. I'm just fixing some minor plotholes in the story and changing some dialouges or fixing some grammatical errors. **

**Cheerios! - _Francene Kwon_**


	5. You Found Me

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does.**

**Warning: I have yet to proofread this chapter so excuse my unruly grammar. Thanks.**

*****

**_Chapter 04: _****_You Found Me_**

Soft whistle filled the air as Lucy and Zeref walked down the road. Branches obscured their view, so they couldn't see directly ahead, or behind them. They're on their way the Kingdom of Pergrande. They decided to stay in its lush forests, which just beside the lake so they could take bath in turns, and near the civilisation so they could buy things whenever they need.

"_Even if you want to go alone, I will be waiting when you're coming home. If you need someone to ease the pain you can lean on me, my love will still remain . . ._" Lucy sings softly as she traversed the path ahead behind him. "_Don't know what you're thinking. To me it seems quite tough to hold a conversation when words are not enough. So this is your decision and there's nothing I can do. I can only say to you . . ."_

"Are you always this relentlessly cheerful?" Zeref suddenly asked calmly, glancing at her.

Lucy turned her gaze to her companion, only now she realised that he had a tinge of pink as he was slightly sweating from the hot weather. It was slightly amusing that the most evil mage of all time have a hard time dealing with the heat.

She gave him a grin. "I just love to make everything lively!" She cheered, her head bobbing as she continue to sing, winking at him. "_Even if you want to go alone, I will be waiting when you're coming home. If you need someone to ease the pain, you can lean on me . . ._" She glanced at him. _"__My love will still remain_."

Zeref tore his gaze away from her. In the past three days of travelling with this wingless archangel, he found out that she loves to sing her heart's out; when she's bored, before sleeping, or simply, for the sake of singing. He doesn't particularly mind, though. Honestly, he even enjoys it.

Zeref stopped walking when a sudden pain strucked his head. "Lucy," he called, grunting as he held his head. "Stay back,"

"Huh? Why?"

"Just go. Hurry!"

Lucy looked at him worriedly. "But, you . . ."

He felt the lethal waves expanding in his body, before it exploded. The black miasma quickly spreads throughout the forest, absorbing all of its life force before it absorb everything it collected within him. He felt all of their life energy inside him, adding to his sins.

Seconds passed before the black magic subsided, transforming itself to become his own. He felt the slight tremor in his body, an after effect after the life absorption.

With so much regret and disgust to himself, he slowly opened his eyes which he subconsciously closed at the outburst of his magic.

But what he seen before his eyes beyond surprised him. There isn't a single trace of death around him, the forest is as colourful like it used to be. Something like this never happened to him, and it was simply too shocking in his part.

Then, he remembered her. _Lucy!_

The person he called in his mind was kneeling before him, shaking his shoulders vigourously. "Zeref! Zeref! Hey! Answer me!"

He still couldn't believe it. He was so sure that the outburst of his magic did happened. He still could feel the life energy he took inside him. But, there was someone sitting before him inside the forest full of life, alive and clueless as him.

Lucy once told him that curses don't work on her. But, even their surroundings?

"Are you okay? You suddenly stopped moving and you looked pained. I am not a healer of some sort, but I can take a look at you." Lucy worriedly told him.

"I am alright, don't worry."

He was somehow uncomfortable to have someone worried about him. Its been so long since someone actually cared for him. A hundred years ago, perhaps.

Lucy sighed in relief. With a nod of her head, he sat down next to him silently.

He reached his hand onto her head, ruffling her golden blonde hair reassuringly, secretly relishing the gentle tickling feeling of her soft hair underneath his palm. Unknown to Lucy, she's been the first person he ever touched for the past one hundred years.

Then, he felt something odd about her. It was hidden so deep inside her soul that he failed to notice it the first time he touched her. But now, it was there. He was so sure of it.

_Life._

Lucy was practically overflowing with so much life. She carried so much vitality inside her that it become a hindrance in the complete development of her body. And it was still accumulating, even now that he was touching her. His magic was fairly sucking out the insignificant amounts of life within her.

Is this the reason why she was an immortal?

The excess life her body produces is what he absorb instead, and a few energy from the trees. But her mere presence is enough to subdue the curse and restore the life he sucked away. She manage to revived everything he killed; she did it so fast that he realised that he didn't kill anyone--or anything in particular.

Zeref stared at her in utter suprise. He never met someone like her before. Still, he took her life. He couldn't help but to feel ashamed.

_What an oddball_, Zeref thought wearily. But in truth was, he was really happy that nothing bad happened to her.

"Here." Lucy offered her a yellow flower she plucked out earlier, the same colour as the slight shimmer of gold in her brown eyes. "Maybe it'll make you feel better."

He narrowed his eyes dangerously. Even if he did not kill her, he don't want to risk another incident like this. "Nothing will make me feel better." He said bitterly. "And that will die if I touch it, just throw it away."

"I've charmed it with my holy power, it won't be affected by your curse." She replied, reaching for his hand and placing the flower in his palm. "During my journey alone, many people told me that it was impossible to find you. But, look where am I now." She smiled at him.

Zeref focused his gaze on the flower in his hand, scrutinising it with his sharp gaze. Yet, like Lucy said, it was charmed with holy power, it didn't withered away. "Sometimes, I wondered," he paused. "What made you do it?"

"Hmm? Do what?" Lucy found a withered flower underneath the sole of her shoes. With a flick of her fingers, it was as if it was given another life, it returned to its prime shape. The tranquil scent her power gave off settled his mind in peace, like a calming sea.

With a surprise look in his eyes, he directed his black eyes to her. She smiled at him, handing him the flower she just charmed. "What made you run for my help, even knowing that I am evil?"

Lucy shifted in her seat, unable to look at him in the eyes when he focus his attention to her. "Aside from the fact that I only remember you, I just simply loved the ways of life." She smiled fondly. "I mean, without my memories, I always wondered how life on Earthland would be. If there's a difference when I lived my life in the Heaven's Palace, or something like that. Those thoughts and wonders keeps me going. The sense of adventure, the feeling of having a wanderlust, that sort."

"I see," he said quietly. "It comes to you naturally."

"Yes." She nodded. "Oh, and by the way, I didn't get the chance to thank you for helping me." She let her brown eyes half-closed. "Thank you. I've always felt grateful for helping me. Although it took me almost a year to locate you. Some time before, I almost thought that it was indeed impossible." She laughed half-heartedly.

"But, you have found me." He breathed softly, his black eyes glinted admiringly. "You found me."

"Yes, I did," she lifted her gaze to meet his, beaming at him with her signiture smile. "I found you."

*

**Author's Note: Just a short chapter I come across. In the next few chapters, Lucy's past will slowly be revealed. And I'm still considering some ideas if Lucy would to join Fairy Tail or how she'll be able to meet the Spriggan Twelve. Something like that lol.** **Oh, and by the way, I somehow altered Zeref's curse by a little bit. Hope you don't mind such little detail heh.**

**Cheerios! - _Francene Kwon_**


	6. The Lost Boy

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does.**

**Warning: I have yet to proofread this chapter so excuse my unruly grammar. Thanks.**

*****

**_Chapter 05: _****_The Lost Boy_**

After almost a month of travelling with Zeref, Lucy discovered several things about him. Reasons why he was considered to be evil, and why he created those demons of his. She was still confused the entire while, she don't think he was right, or wrong either. She just supported him, like what a companion should do.

Zeref would disappear sometimes, and he keep it a secret where he went. He would just return a couple of days later, always during the night. He would ruffled her hair then, a silent greeting she grew to love.

Still, there was no news about her feathers. Not that she's getting tired or impatient, she's actually enjoying Zeref's company; sometimes warm, though silent most of the time.

"We'll return to Tenrou Island in two months." Zeref said as he casually opened a certain book piling up in his side. "There should be a few days interval before Grimoire Hearts' arrival afterwards."

"Oh," Lucy looked amused. "And here I thought that they love to keep themselves in the dark. Like a certain someone I know." She teased lightly.

Zeref ignored her teasing. "Not this time, though." He replied. "It comes to me that they're trying to use me for something, which I find utterly absurd."

She laughed, slowly caressing his temples to ease his building stress. "Are you going to entertain them, then?"

"Well, I need to." Zeref replied, closing his eyes as he leaned his head on her shoulders. "They might ruin our future plans . . . Or attack you to get me, at that."

"Not that it mattered anyway." She smiled, holding his hand tightly. "You know very well that I can perfectly protect myself, yes?"

"There are possibilities, still. We can't risk it." He said firmly, with a tinge of overprotectiveness.

Lucy chuckled as she traced his fingers with her own. "But, Zee, can you promise me something?"

"What is it?" He asked, his eyes trailing her fingers on his hand. During the times like this, he doesn't mind when she calls him by those stupid nicknames she comes up with every now and then.

"If the time comes that they'll use me to get you, you have to promise me that you'll never let yourself be manipulated by them." Lucy said, her voice held with seriousness and firmness that he never heard her used for the past few months they are together.

"I won't let that happen, of course." Zeref frowned. No matter what happened, he would not let any bastard to hurt her. Or take her away from him.

"Brilliant!" She cheered happily. "Anyhow, I have been thinking, maybe I shouldn't tag along with you there."

"Don't spout nonsense." He said. "I need you to be there if something went out of our plans."

"We already strategised with all I have that my mind nearly bled. What could've go wrong?" Lucy sneered. "Besides, you're an immortal. They can't hurt you that bad, aren't they?"

Zeref went silent as he watched her flipped the pages of the book he was holding a few minutes ago. With an exasperated sigh, he grabbed the book and threw it away.

Lucy glared at him. "Hey! That's so mean!"

"You're going with me to Tenrou Island." He demanded, his brows creasing.

"I was just jesting, geez. I plan to go anyway." Lucy huffed, crossing her arms. "Don't be such a stick in the mud."

"Good." He closed his eyes, once again leaning to her shoulders as he listened to the rustling wind around them. He felt at peace at times like this. Listening to her silent songs, being alone with Lucy. "Hey,"

"Hmm?"

"Nothing." He respond, ignoring her curious glaces in her side.

In the end, he couldn't bear to say it to her.

*

"Lucy, watch out!"

But his warning is already late. Her foot slid in the loose gravel as she tried to maintain her balance. Though she tumbled down straight through the thick bushes and tree branches below the small hill.

Lucy groaned as she disentangled herself from the branches that clung to her clothes. She blinked twice when she notice something. Beneath her was a young boy. His eyes was closed and a small cut on his right shoulder is probably due to her accidental crash with him. Panicked, she jumped away from him.

"Are you alright?" Zeref slid elegantly down the steep decline to her side.

"I am." She replied to him, kneeling beside the boy. "But, I think he needs some help."

The boy couldn't be older than eight. Definitely too young to travel on his own within the woods without any companion. His curly ash blond hair was shoulder-length, though he was slim and quite effiminate.

Zeref immediately stepped away from them warily. The distance he keeps reminds Lucy her first days travelling with him.

Lucy tapped his cheek lightly, and he fluttered his eyes open, revealing a beautiful pair of sky blue eyes. Realising that someone was looking at him, he immediately covered his face with his hands bashfully.

"Uhm," she was unsure what to say. "I have rolled into you earlier. I'm sorry,"

The boy peaked at his fingers, heaving a huge sigh. "I don't talk to strangers."

"Strangers?" Lucy seemed amused. "I doubt were strangers, though. I might've hurt you anyway. Enemies, perhaps, but strangers . . . Not really."

Zeref chuckled at the side.

"You hurt your shoulders." She pointed at him. "I'll dishonor my race if I left someone in need inside the forest."

"I . . ." His voice hoarse, trying to stand up, but cried when he felt excruciating pain on his left foot. Now that Lucy noticed it, seemed like he dislocated his foot.

Lucy leaned forward. "May I?" She gestured at his foot.

The boy wanted to protest, but the gentle touch of her fingers against his aching foot reminds her of thousands of fluffy cottons.

"_S__anandum_." Lucy muttered under her breath and the other two watched as a faint glow of golden light enveloped his foot. "I guess you'll be able to walk now." She smiled at him. "Although I advise you shouldn't overtax it."

In amazement, the boy flexed his foot. "Wow. Thank you!"

"You're very welcome." She chuckled, standing beside Zeref who hid himself well in the shadow of the nearby tree. "Its almost nightfall, you should go home now. Its dangerous."

"I can defend myself!" The boy suddenly rose to his feet, obviously he did not like what she had said.

Zeref silently raised a brow at him.

Lucy glanced at him before she looked at the boy. "You can, surely." She said nicely. "But, we can accompany you to the nearby town anyhow. We wouldn't mind an extra help to fend off the wild boars along the way."

"Boars?" His blue eyes widened.

"Yeah, I heard they like to roam around here, right?" Lucy nudged Zeref in the waist, who only grunted and rolled his eyes.

"Okay," the boy gulped defeatedly. "Maybe you can take me with you."

Lucy snapped back a huge smile. "Brilliant! Then, let's go!"

*

"Ow!" Lucy exclaimed, nearly breaking off the branch that hit her head. "Ow! Ow! Ow!"

The boy looked at her in disbelief while Zeref could only sigh in exasperation. He was well aware of Lucy's klutz tendencies, especially when tripping in her own foot or banging her head on some tree. She loved to daydream a lot. They already went back and forth twice because Lucy forgot her backpack during their stop overs.

Zeref was clearly accustomed to this side of her. In any case, she was always like that--klutz in non-threatening situations, but very dependable when it comes to the opposite situations.

"Are you alright?" The blond boy asked her, concern.

Lucy laughed. "I'm fine, don't worry!"

"You're Asisi, right?" Zeref asked, his voice is very cold like a winter paradise.

Asisi, the blond boy, shivered when he looked at him. Zeref's black eyes glimmered like an obsidian jewel with a sharp glint. He nodded stiffly at him.

"You seem too young to travel alone, don't you think?" He asked, his forelocks hiding his devil-like eyes.

Lucy noticed his obvious hostility towards the boy, and his slight suspicion. She held his hand to calm him down, caressing his arm assuringly. "Leave him to me." She muttered in his ears.

He just huffed, but he tighten his hold on her hand.

"Pardon his unruly behaviour, Asisi, he has this sort of habit of asking prying questions without so much thought." Lucy smiled at him, ignoring the disbelief look on Zeref's face.

"Excuse me? I always talk with so much thought beforehand." Zeref defend himself, grumbling and scoffing. "Perhaps you are referring to yourself--being unruly and audacious and all."

Asisi smiled as he watched them bicker. Even at first glance, one could assume that these two are really close. "My mom," his smile wavered, shifting his gaze to the camp fire Zeref created awhile ago. "She told me that I should go to west."

"West?" Lucy clicked her tongue. "The nearest country you can find is Bellum, which is five days by foot. That's some distance for your mother to send you alone, though."

"Wouldn't it be easier if you go to Pergrande?" Zeref asked monotonously. He was standing as far as possible from them, even though Lucy told him that it was alright.

"Pergrande is . . ." Asisi trailed, it seem as if he's holding back his tears.

"Were on our way to Pergrande, though." Lucy told him as she notice the silent frustration on Asisi's face. "Was there any particular reason why you need to go to the west? We can take you home, if you want to." She kindly offered.

"I . . . I . . ." Asisi choked back his tears. "I can't go home."

Silence filled their make-shift campsite. Zeref was very accustomed with it, as he casually leaned at the farthest tree away from them. But not far enough not to hear their conversation.

"We'll go west, then." She smiled. Lucy didn't feel quite right to leave an injured kid wandering within a dangerous forest. "We'll take you to Fiore. That's probably the safest place for you."

Zeref looked at her way in disbelief. It looked like he isn't that pleased to know that they'll go back to where they'd gone to a couple of weeks ago.

"Y-You don't have to . . ." Asisi nervously glanced at Zeref who could only sigh in exasperation.

"Its fine, its fine." Lucy laughed, patting his head. "Let's head to bed first, why don't we? Sometimes, the best wonders are done unexpectedly, so you don't have to make your decisions tonight."

"I'll stay here," Zeref silently told her, sitting as quiet as possible at the tree trunk. "You rest now." He commanded her, ruffling her hair.

Lucy gave him a smile before heading to her own makeshift bed. He'll watch over them tonight. Maybe she'll wake up later and offer a trade so he could rest.

*

**Author's Note: I was wondering if I portray Lucy and Zeref right? I mean, they're probably OOC, right? I'm doing my best to write them the way I watched and read them in both Anime and Manga. Its not really surprising that I don't get Zeref's character right because he's a complicated one XD lol hahaha.**

**Anyways, thank you for the follows and faves, guys! They meant a lot to me!**

**Cheerios! - _Francene Kwon_**


	7. The Second Clue

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does.**

**Warning: I have yet to proofread this chapter so excuse my unruly grammar. Thanks.**

*

**_Chapter 06: _****_The Second Clue_**

"Lucy," a slight shake in her shoulders woke her up. It shouldn't be at least two hours since she laid comfortably in her makeshift bed.

"Wha--" she muttered sleepily, eyes closed. "What is it, Zee?"

"A group of humans are approaching us." He told her quietly.

"What on earth--" Lucy sat up, frowning. She quickly placed a hand on the ground, sensing a couple of life forces stepping on the forest floor as she let her holy power measure their remaining distance. "Approximately a hundred meters before they reach us."

"They're cutting down the trees. Probably looking for something." Zeref mumured in her ears, making shivers run down her spine.

She coughed, flustered as she blinked before glancing at the sleeping form of Asisi. "Or someone."

Zeref was smart enough to doused their campfire while she's asleep. Its possible that the light from the fire is what those humans led to them.

"Wake him up," Zeref told her. "We need to move. Unless, of course, you want me to kill them this instant so we can have this evening as peaceful as possible."

"Nothing will be peaceful if you kill people, Zee." Lucy deadpanned as she moved towards Asisi quietly. "We'll move out, then."

While Lucy wake the boy up, Zeref gathered their belongings. Its much easier if he could teleport away with Lucy in tow, but now that there's an addition to their little group, he can't possibly do that, right? Not to mention that the boy just know him as 'Zee' as what Lucy prefer calling him, not as Zeref the Black Wizard.

He turned and saw Lucy guiding the sleepy Asisi towards his direction. As long as Lucy is around him, the lethal destruction his magic have are supressed. He can interact with the living as much as he want without killing them. Still, he can't bring himself to abuse her kindness to live normally. Someday, he will . . .

Muffled laughter echoed in a fine distance in the forest, making the trio whipped their heads in the certain direction.

Asisi's face creased in fear, whatever sleepiness and weary he felt was instantly erased.

Lucy eyed him worriedly, before she knelt in front of him. "Asisi, I won't be mad, just be honest with me. Those people . . . Are they after you?"

His blue eyes turned misty and he started crying silently. Gritting his teeth, Asisi nodded his head as he sobbed.

"I see," Lucy glanced at Zeref, their eyes locked for a moment before he nodded at her. She smiled at him before looking at the boy again. "We'll have to run." She offered her back to him. "Climb."

"But . . ."

"I'll use some of my . . . Power to take us out of here fast." She grinned at him. "Now, climb on. We don't have forever to gawk around!"

Asisi hesitated for a moment before he climb on her back, wrapping his arms around her neck.

Zeref gave her a challenging stare. "Are you going to challenge me again?" He asked, a soft smirk playing his lips.

Lucy gave him a smirk of her own. "Of course." She replied as Asisi furrowed his brows at where their conversation is going. "Ready?"

Zeref crossed his arms. "Anytime,"

It didn't take a heartbeat for Asisi to realised that he's doomed. Both Lucy and Zeref was dashing in full speed into the forest. Asisi clamped a hand on his mouth and tightly closed his eyes. The trees are passing through them and it took him all his will not to throw up everything he had that evening. Lucy, on the other hand, seemed to be having the time of her life as she swiftly weaved through the trees like it was nothing but a child's play.

He couldn't see that Zee everywhere, but Asisi knew that he was close by. He was doing some kind of teleportation method that unables anyone to sense his presence but he can sense them.

Soon, Asisi noticed that Lucy started to slow down until she finally come to a stop. She released Asisi as she placed a finger on her lips, grinning like a madwoman.

Zeref was standing behind her, smirking as he mouthed, "I win."

Lucy sneered at him. "If I had gone any faster, Asisi would lose his consciousness on the way."

"Onee-san," Asisi tugged her white robes curiously. Lucy looked down on him with a grin. "Are you teleporting as well?"

"I'm not teleporting," she winked at him. "I'm just leaping really really fast!" She even raised her hands in the air to emphasised her point. "Although I could only do that once in a while."

Zeref smiled, shaking his head.

They could already hear the birds chirping. Asisi sat on the ground quietly after, drawing his knees to his chest.

"Asisi," Lucy called, concered laced her voice. "Tell me, why are those people after you?"

"I don't . . ." He swallowed the lumped on his throat. "I truly don't know."

"What do you mean that you don't know?" Lucy asked again. Zeref remained quiet on the side.

Asisi hold back a sob. "There's . . . There's a certain ritual within our village every year. T-The villagers chooses a healthy child for a sacrifice to our golden treasure. It was said to bring fortune to us, or a charm so that the black wizard won't attack us."

Zeref raised a brow at that statement. He never onced attack a small village without ill-intention. Its either there's a group of his crazed followers that he have to eliminate before they cause further damage upon his name or an accidental massacre where his magic suddenly becomes unstoppable.

"And then?" Lucy glanced at Zeref, forcing her giggles at the back of her throat.

"A-And when they choose me to be the sacrifice, the treasure become corrupt. A catastrophe have befallen our village because of it. The villagers said I was cursed, so my mom told me I have to run away."

Lucy went silent for a moment. A sudden feeling of deja vu had rose in her chest. "Erm," she clicked her tongue. "Wait, what is this treasure you spoke of?"

Asisi blinked at her. "Its a golden feather. It was rumored that it was a gift from a fallen angel to our village a hundred years ago. I don't really know the details for I only saw it once, but I swear, t-the feather was already corrupted when I saw it!"

Lucy's eyes widened and her jaw flapped open. She keep glancing at the boy and Zeref before she composed herself again. Her heart beats eratically fast. "How far is your village?"

"Probably a day from here," Asisi replied. "If we follow the road, that is."

Her second clue to her memories whereabouts! In the beginning, she decided to help the boy even though it would be hard to sway the public's opinion, especially if it involved superstitions. But now that they will have the chance obtain the shard of her feather, she can't back out now. And she wouldn't certainly leave a helpless kid in the middle of a forest alone.

Zeref frowned. "Then we should avoid the trailing road for now." He said. For sure, Asisi's pursuers had stumbled upon their abandoned campsite by now. They would search the area looking for them.

Not that it really mattered anyway. If it comes to the point that he had no choice but to kill, he'll do so just to make Lucy safe. Now that they already have a clue about one of her twelve scattered feathers.

"Get some rest now. I assume it will be safe here till morning." Zeref muttered, ruffling her hair.

Hesitant, Asisi nodded as he leaned on a tree and tightly closed his eyes. Although he guessed that the boy wouldn't be able to sleep well due to the first attempt to scare him off.

Zeref himself sat on a tree far from him. He glanced at Lucy who was looking around, frowning. "Get some sleep, Lucy." He told her, patting the space beside him. The blonde angel walked towards him, sitting but her face still held the same confusion she had when she looked around. "Something's wrong?"

"The plants seems off for some reason. Their life force, that is." She replied worriedly. "It feels like something is influencing their nature."

Zeref wasn't entirely sure what she meant by "influencing their nature" but that comes from someone who have a deep connection with life and vitality, that should meant something bad.

She just shook her head to clear those thoughts before leaning her head to his shoulders to take her rest.

*

Dawn has come without any more conflict. Because of that, Lucy was certainly happy, even though she would've collapse any minute now due to sleep deprivation.

Still, calling Asisi's village a . . . Well, village could mean an insult to other villages. There were no buildings in sight, but only huts and houses made of woods. Everything is covered with dirt and slime. Even the clothes hanging was covered with filth. Somewhat far from the houses is a field of dried dirt.

"Oh, god. This is . . . Worst." Lucy looked somewhat uncomfortable while looking at the whole village. Asisi hide behind her, gripping her white robes as his face looked terrified.

Zeref may be not the one to talk, but he couldn't help but to agree with her. He had seen the worst, yet this place would be perfect to compare to the consequences of the outbursts of his magic. Where plants and trees withered, animals died--its that kind of worst.

"Those are rice paddies before." Asisi muttered quietly, pointing at the cracked earth behind the huts.

Frowning, Lucy eyed the fields in wonder. Rice took a massive amount of water in order to grow. But the fields seem to experienced drought for several months now. The plants, though alive, looked somehow pathetic and underdeveloped. But, the whole place seem . . . Off. Something was missing, like a breath of life. Just standing at its grounds make her feel weary.

Asisi himself looked extremely nervous. He was clinging to Lucy's arm, each moment would tighten as they drew close to his home.

"Where's everyone?" Lucy asked while looking around. Zeref suddenly stopped walking and both Lucy and Asisi turned to him. "Why did you--?"

She was cut off short when she realised why he stopped. People started to flocked towards them, leaving their homes with their own pitchforks and makeshift weapons. In less than a minute, Lucy found themselves completely surrounded; she raised her hands with her signiture smile to assure them that they meant no harm.

A man stepped forward, he was tightly holding a pitchfork in his hands. "Who are you people? We don't always get to see visitors in our village. And why are you with this cursed brat?" He asked angrily.

Lucy smiled kindly at him. "Oh, we were just mere travellers that stumbled upon this boy, quite the literal if I may add. Just thought that we'll escort him home."

"Well, then, thank you, stranger." The man skeptically replied. "Now that he's home, hand him over."

Asisi gasped as he tighten his cling onto her arm. Lucy's smile widened. "Now, that's not the best way to please a child, yes? Pretty sure he'll love to see his parents first."

The guy sneered as he stepped foward towards her. He'd gotten close enough that Lucy could smell his disgusting breath.

Zeref clenched his jaw, stepping between Lucy and the guy. His black eyes held malice and hidden killing intent. He made sure that his magic leaked out a little, but not enough to kill. "It was not wise to do something like that, friend." He lifted the corners of his lips, but it looked neither a smile nor a smirk. But the guy clearly knew what it meant--Zeref was threatening him.

He back away quickly. "Leave the boy to us, and we would let you leave in peace."

Zeref was about to retort, but Lucy hold his hand and stepped in front of him. "I'll handle this, control your magic, please." She whispered to him. "It wouldn't be pleasing if you kill someone now."

He could only nod at her with a sigh.

Lucy turned to the man whom she assumed the leader of this tiny battalion. "I do not think that whatever you plan to do with Asisi would be the best for him. Where are his parents?"

The man eyed his subordinates and Lucy sense that they're preparing to attack.

"_Sciell_!" Lucy swung her hand in front of her and a flash of golden energy flared before it formed into a firm shield. For a second, Lucy closed her eyes to chase away the dizziness that dive through her vision.

A man with a huge pipe come forward. It hit her shield, and for some reasons, it easily broke through her defences and the pipe directly crash to her hand.

"Woah!" Lucy backed away, clutching her hand. "That's good!"

"What the hell are you doing, Lucy!?" Zeref hissed at her, his pupils dilated as he looked at her bruised hand. "I'm going to end this right here and right now." He said darkly as his black magic surrounds him.

"Zee, stop it!" She grabbed hold of his arm and tugged him towards her, cancelling the starting predation of death he might release anytime soon. "I'm alright, 'kay? Something's just definitely wrong in this place."

"And that is?" He asked, irritated. He was _this_ close in killing everyone around them. If it weren't for Lucy, maybe the destruction of this village was already added to his conscience.

"Life can't fully sustain this place." She told him wearily. "For some reasons, something might be messing with the natural flow of ethernano in this area. I'm not sure, but death would definitely inevitable if this continues."

Another man was about to strike, but for the first time since she arrived in Earthland, Lucy manage to glare at him. "_Eicere_!" All of their weapons suddenly flew out of their grasp.

Lucy almost lost her balance if it weren't for Zeref that supported her back. "What now?" He asked worriedly.

"Argh. Just some of my simple spells are too exhausting to cast." She groaned loudly, irk was clearly visible in her voice. "I've never felt this weak before. God."

"You'll have to rest." He demanded but she just shook her head. "Lucy," he warned.

"Not now, Zee." She replied, before looking at the angry villagers with a scoff. "Do you guys seriously think that an eight year old boy would cause this damage to your village?"

"Were in the middle of the sacrifice to our golden treasure, yet he messed up the ritual. The golden treasure turned black; then our crops withered, the water dried up, the darkness befall in Mount Jitsu. When he went missing, we knew that his mother sent him away!"

"Turned black . . ." Lucy repeated, slightly taken off guard. Is it possible that her feather would be corrupted just like that?

Zeref eyed her quietly, questioning her next move.

"Let me think for a minute," she plopped herself down, placing a hand on the dirty ground before letting a small portion of her holy power surge the dead earth. She felt a sudden resonance within her magical core--a familiar calling. "I can feel it. Some dark power wrapping up nature. But the source is not around here."

"Could it be the black wizard's doing?" A villager asked, fear laced his voice.

Zeref glared at him in the corner of his eyes. He had no idea what's happening, obviously. These pathetic humans would freely accused people for the sake of just blaming someone.

"Maybe the black wizard cursed us!"

"What should we do?!"

"Zeref is after us now because the golden treasure become black?!"

"No one's cursing anybody, you dimwits!" Lucy groaned in irritation. The fact that the very person they are accusing is right beside her infuriated her. "The power is just wrapped around here, but its absolutely not a curse!"

"H-How do we remove it?" Asisi looked at her, hopeful.

"Simple," she smiled brightly. "We'll unwrap it!"

*

**Author's Note: This is a long chapter alright. Thank you for the faves and follows, guys! It makes me really happy to know that someone's reading this story. So, yeah, it would be small action in the next two chapters--with a tinge of drama, yes. So, stay tuned!**

**Cheerios! - _Francene Kwon_**


	8. The Jail Break

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does.**

**Warning: I have yet to proofread this chapter so excuse my unruly grammar. Thanks.**

*****

**_Chapter 07: _****_The Jail Break_**

"She said it was simple," Zeref muttered as he exasperatedly glance at his companion for the ninth time. "I assume you don't even know what this wrapped thing is about, yes?"

"Precisely," Lucy laughed as she leaned her head on his shoulders inside the prison cell. Asisi was sulking in the corner all by himself.

"Quiet!" A guard outside yelled at them.

Both Lucy and Zeref ignored him.

"I don't know what's currently happening, but I do know that my feather is the cause of this phenomenon. Aaaaand," she rolled her tongue as if to teased him. "I can at least locate where the source is."

Zeref wanted to roll his eyes at the look of excitement in her brown eyes. He can't believe that time would come that he had to sit in a filthy prison cell with this unruly angel he swore to help. He could've just burst this place up with one snap of his fingers, but it would only upset Lucy and ruin her plans.

"And where is it?" He asked curiously.

"Mount Jitsu," she winked at him before turning to Asisi, who was listening to them the entire while. "That's where the shrine of sacrifice is located, right? As well as the golden treasure?"

Asisi nodded weakly.

"So," Lucy paused. "All we need to do is to plan our disappearing act and emerge to Mount Jitsu and viola!"

For the countless time this day, Zeref could only sigh.

"Can you really make everything back to normal?" Asisi asked, hopeful.

"Normal is insuperable," Lucy clicked her tongue. "I can only try to turned the unbalanced magic the way it used to be. Any changes before the holy power become corrupt is entirely a different thing."

Asisi hung his head low. Her answer didn't seem to assure him. "B-But if you're going to break out, why did you let them captured us?"

"They have your parents, right?" Zeref asked him coldly. "This is a small village, and I guessed that there aren't many space to hold their prisoners. This way, they brought us right to where they are."

"That's Zee for you! Smart as always!" Lucy chuckled, patting his shoulders. They passed through a number of barren rooms along their way so there's a high chance that Asisi's parents are there. "Let's put our plans into action, shall we? I can't wait anymore!"

"Well," Zeref agreed as he stood up. Lucy nodded at him. With a casual wave of his hand, dark flame-like matter emerged that makes the door explode, smacking the guards outside. He manage to supressed his magic, so he was sure that they just knock out of consciousness.

The trio skipped towards the hall, checking every rooms but find it all empty. Until the they came to a halt at the last door which is locked. Lucy came forward and with a flick of her finger, the lock clicked and the door swung open. The room was completely dark, but they notice two hunched figures chained in the wall.

"Mother? Father?" Asisi stepped in without hesitation.

"Asisi?" Panic rose in the woman's voice. "I told you to run!"

"This will be a happy reunion, but the story best told somewhere not here, yes?" Lucy smiled awkwardly. "Let's get out of here first. This is jail break afterall."

*

They made it to the forest as stealthily as possible and Lucy was very careful to hide their trails. After they made a fair distance from the village, they stopped to give Asisi and his parents a moment of reunion and . . . Reconciliation.

They hugged and cried at each other's embraces. Both Lucy and Zeref stood not far away from them to give them privacy. After a while, the father broke off from them and caught Lucy's gaze.

She gave him a kind smile.

The man suddenly went down his knees, bowing at them. "I can't thank you two enough for saving my son."

Lucy's face turned red, flustered at the sudden movement. "Wha . . . I-Its nothing! Absolutely! Please stand up!"

"Please," the mother smiled kindly as she hugged Asisi. "It took a lot of courage to face that many men. And to save a stranger, you two must be very kind persons."

Lucy's face brighten as she stroked her head in embarrasment. "I . . . Uh, well . . ."

"Don't give us too much credit," Zeref suddenly deadpanned. "Or the girl would probably boast about that for the next ten years or so."

Her smile dropped, glaring at Zeref who only shrugged at her while smirking. She coughed, "anyway, Zee and I will try to find a way to change the state of this place whatever we can. So, you guys can stay here."

"Thank you so much, but . . ." The father trailed. "You children have no connection to this place, so why help us?"

Lucy grinned. "I am actually connected to this situation one way or another."

"Then, for that . . ." He slightly bowed. "Thank you again." At least he was not kneeling on the ground again.

Lucy nodded. "We'll come back once we sorted this out."

*

"Lucy, are you sure we'll leave them be?" Zeref asked as they trekked the path that the family said would lead them to the mountains.

"Yes, I can't risk their safety if my feather was, indeed, corrupted by now." She pursed her lips. "I don't know why it turned black, but I guess I'll know once I regain a memory from it."

The mountain was towering and steep. Small lanterns guide their way, flicking with light the moment the pair would pass them.

"Are they using magic to light that?" Lucy asked, eyeing yet another lantern they pass by.

"Yes," Zeref replied. "Even poor people used casual magic to ease their lives, you know."

"I wonder why it was working despite the fact that the ethernano here is in an unbalanced state."

"Perhaps its your fouled holy power that brought this catastrophe, not the magic." Zeref replied. "Besides, I can already feel the intense corrupted energy the mountain emited. Were getting near,"

For someone who uses black magic, its easy to sense a dark energy like this.

"Maybe," she pouted.

They traversed the mountains a little longer. Thankfully, they reached the small shrine before they could end up in the escarpment.

"It looks . . . Decent enough compared to the village itself." Lucy noted, eying the surroundings. Withered trees lined up the stone road that led to the small shrine. It have a steeple roof, as banners with different symbols streamed from the ceiling. Undearneath the roof was a stone well.

"Look at that," Zeref glared at something.

Lucy's brows were tossed in the hairline when she saw what he meant. To the opposite end of the shrine, something seem to rotate vigourously in mid-air, like a dark miasma. It almost look like a black ring and in its middle was the darkest black feather she ever seen. Then, the ring flickered, and began to sink together with the feather before it was gone.

Lucy nearly scream when it appeared again almost a few metres away from them. Its edges almost hit her if it weren't for Zeref who tugged her away. Who knows what will happen to her if that really hit her.

"I've never seen anything like that before." Zeref muttered to her. "Is that your feather?"

Lucy nodded grimly. "It is indeed corrupted."

"This is the thing that causes that strange phenomenon, then?"

She nodded again, reaching her hand to touch the feather when Zeref grabbed her arm. He glared at her.

"What?"

"Are you insane? That thing could've explode or worst, corrupt you as well. Don't go touching anything that were not sure of." He scolded softly, frowning.

"But that's my feather!" She argued. "Come to think of it, we won't know how to cleanse it if we don't know how to deal with it. And if we won't know how to deal with it, if I don't do this." Without further ado, she shoved her other hand to grab the feather.

"Fool!" Zeref looked so surprised and tried to pried her arm away. "What in the name of the gods are you doing?!"

"Yuck!" Lucy's face contort in disgust when he forcibly pulled her hand away. Black slime covered her palm with a gross smell that make her stomach twist and twirl in different direction.

"I told you not to touch it!" He seem irritated as he pulled her towards the well to wash the foul thing off.

"Woah! And what's this now?" Lucy ignored his sermon.

Zeref frowned. "I don't think there's a hole at all."

"I think so, too."

Down the well, the water level is dropping continuously.

"Its as if its absorbing the water." Zeref concluded curiously.

Lucy turned serious, never minding the dirty slime on her hand. "I think I know what to do now."

*

**Author's Note: Alright, I thought action would be in this chapter, my bad. Its in the next, I promise lol. And oh, thank you for the ones that follows this story guys! It really meant a lot to me! Should I go mention you each?**

**Cheerios! - _Francene Kwon_**


	9. Corrupted Feather

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does.**

**Warning: I have yet to proofread this chapter so excuse my unruly grammar. Thanks.**

xxx

**_Chapter 08: _****_A Corrupted Feather_**

"Then," Lucy cleared her throat as she looked grimly at the water being absorbed at the well, before she set her gaze firmly on the ring of miasma surrounding the black feather. "Now that we had seen the problem, what's left is how do we solve it."

"I do not have any knowledge about this particular matter, Lucy." Zeref creased his brows. "To think that you are not a human at all, and you do not utilised magic, then this thing cannot be solve by using the latter."

"Don't worry, I'm sure we can think of a way how!" Lucy beamed cheerfully, making Zeref sigh in exasperation for the umpteenth time during that day. The girl was too happy to be true.

"And what do you think we should do?" He asked, doubtful.

"I'll just purify that corrupted feather using my power and . . . I think that should do the job."

"You think that'll be easy?"

"Yes, of cou . . ." Lucy halted her words when they heard an unfamiliar voice that talked back at her, not Zeref's.

They both turned their heads to the direction and saw a taned skinned woman, probably around Lucy's physical age, with bright unruly pink hair. She wore a sleeveless dress made of fur with black gloves. She has chain on her collar that hungs around her upper body, golden earrings and pink sunglasses. And what strucked Lucy the most is the cute little ram horns sprouting on either side of her head.

"And you are?" Lucy asked curiously. She felt a sudden disturbance of power in her spiritual core, making her uncomfortable. She felt that she knew this girl, she just can't point out who she is.

"What's wrong?" Zeref asked, he noticed how she suddenly wavered at the sight of the girl. His stance nonchalant and relaxed, with a tinge of indolent allure.

"You dare touched my feather, woman. You don't know how you offend someone as divine as me!" She hissed, fuming.

"_Your_ feather, you say?" Lucy stared at her incredulously. "That is _my_ feather! I come here to take it back!" She glanced at Zeref. "We'll call her _ram lassie,_ what do you think?"

Zeref was tempted to rolled his eyes again. He wanted to scold her for letting her guard down when she saw how ludicrous thos3 horns are.

The horned woman looked absolutely offended. "You have the cheek to mock me, woman! I'll let you taste the wrath of one of the celestial guardians! Golden horn bomber!" The horns on top of her head fired towards them in rapid manner, striking both of them.

Zeref swiftly stepped in front of Lucy, and with a flick of his wrist, a wall of black mist appeared in front of them. The horns exploded upon contract to his shield, but the latter remain unscathed.

"I won't let you off so easily! Even if you have a black wizard on your side!" The horned woman hissed again as her horns flew towards them again.

"Let me fight her." Lucy suddenly said as the horn exploded yet again when it hit Zeref's shield.

He glanced at her, uncertainty in his midnight black eyes. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," she nodded, serious. "I have a feeling that I know this girl. I have to fight her myself if I want to know the truth."

Zeref stared at her grimly, yet hard. He was obviously weighing the situation, before he sigh and nodded at her. The black mist around them disappeared as he stepped back. "Be careful,"

Lucy smiled at him before she focused her attention to the girl. The latter immediately fired another set of horns to her direction. She quickly jumped out of the way, dodging swiftly as she skipped towards the girl rapidly.

"State your name," she demanded.

"Screw you!" The horned woman seem frustrated when Lucy almost hit her in the face with a roundhouse kick. "Argh! I hate you!" Chains flew towards her and attached itself to Lucy's neck. The chains was threw in the air when the girl did the same gesture with her hand.

Lucy tried to pry away the chains, but to no avail. Although it does brought a slight shimmer of stream when she touch it. Without missing another second, the ram lassie lowered her hand and Lucy was thrown on the ground like a rag doll.

"_Gravis rotulus_!" Lucy chanted under her breath. She successfully uttered a spell that would temporarily alter the gravity around her before she hit the ground. With that sort of impact, she was so sure that her backbones and ribcage would end up broken, if ever.

"Gravity? Hmp!" The ram lassie scoffed.

Lucy sighed. "_Ramus_!" She muttered and the chains around her neck was cut off.

Zeref helped her up to her feet as he looked at her in curiosity. "You have a lot of weird spells, I see."

"I do," she laughed. "Mostly just used to make me lazier."

"H-How did you . . ." The ram girl stammered, her brown eyes widened underneath those sunglasses. "Those are made from ethereal metals."

Lucy smiled in clear amusement. "I am an ethereal being myself. I can create, sever and manipulate ethereal elements under my command." With a flick of her finger, the chains she once severed reform again and latched on the ram lassie's torso down to her feet, making her fall on her face.

"If you can do that, at least do it from the start." Zeref huffed gently on her side, shaking his head. "Do you like being thrown off like that?"

"I just want some exercise," she reasoned. "Its been a while since I had one. But, the situation now prevented me. Though, I have to ask this lass something, per se." The ram girl was about to retort and argue when Lucy looked at her. "Now, I'm quite sure that its your fault why the balance of ethernano in this place is tipped, yes? Tell us how to turn it back to normal."

"As if!"

Lucy clicked her tongue to supress her annoyance. Still, she needed to stay calm and compose.

"How about you purify the feather first, and ask her later?" Zeref suggested, boredom laced his voice.

"Great idea!" Lucy's eyes brighten. She skipped towards the ring of darkness on the other side of the shrine and this time, she decided not to just hold it. She poured an ounce of her holy power to the black feather as she tried to clenched it on her tight grip. The miasma seem to flicker for a moment, before darkness shoot out from it to every direction. The water on the nearby well shoot upwards as well.

"How dare you touch that!" The girl started to become wild as she thrashed angrily, trying to free herself from the chains that bounded her.

"Lucy!"

"Stand back!" She stopped him with her free hand, keeping her feet planted firmly on the ground to keep her body still, and only remained like that because of her rigid grip. Gritting her teeth, she drew her hand back and instantly, the miasma stopped attacking her.

"What was that?" Zeref asked, concern. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," she replied, her gaze glued to her newly found feather she gripped tightly with her hands. To her amazement, even his, the black feather was slowly being purified. She let another wave of her holy power graze the feather, the energy travelled enthusiastically down her fingers. Her power touched the aura of the feather, which manifested with darkness. But her power is greater--and the tainted aura in the feather receded.

Until the black feather turned into golden yellow.

The pair stared at it in amazement, until the feather moved towards her. It morphed into a blinding golden light before it excitedly jumped inside her chest. "Ahh--" and almost instantly, a rush of new memories come flooding through her mind.

"Lucy? Lucy!" Zeref shook her shoulders worriedly. "Answer me! Good gods!"

The blonde angel stared at him for a moment, before her eyes widened like saucers. She instantly whipped her head towards the girl wrapped in chains, prying herself away from Zeref's grip and running towards the other as she shouted a name.

"Aries!"

Now lying sprawled on the floor with chains around her torso is still the same woman with pink hair, but this time, it was curled around her nape. Her previous golden horns turned into brown twisted ones. Her once revealing clothes turned into a white and fluffy wool-like dress that drapped around her bodacious body.

Eyes widened in both worry and guilt, Lucy kneeled before the ram woman named Aries and shook her awake. Lucy unbounded her just when the latter fluttered her eyes open.

"Ah . . ." Her voice gentle and smooth. "Lucy-sama . . . I'm sorry . . ."

"Shh, its alright." She helped her sit up, before hugging her, tears threatening to spill in her eyes. "I-I'm at fault, too. I can't remember any of you at first . . . Please, forgive me."

Aries smiled, her previous violent and rude behaviour was long since gone and was replaced by a polite, and somewhat shy, attitude. "I-Its alright, I'm sorry. As a celestial guardian, its my job to guard your memories, but I-I had gotten myself corrupted along with your precious feather, sorry. I'm so sorry!"

Lucy's gaze soften. "You all know you are more than my guardian, Aries." She tighten her embrace to her. "I'm sure Leo will be thrilled to see you again."

"Y-Yes, I want to see him, too . . . Sorry." Aries muttered shyly.

"Thank you for guardian my memories, Aries. You can rest for now." Muttering a conjuring spell that suddenly popped in her mind, a silver ring appeared on her hand. Dangling from it was a single golden key with a lion as its base.

Aries flashed a grateful yet bashful smile before her body gently errupted in a warm, golden light. The light travelled until it latched itself on the key ring, until it morphed into another golden key with a ram.

"I remember them now," Lucy muttered softly as she draw the two keys on her chest tightly. "I'm such a fool that I forgot about them."

"Lucy?" Zeref called from her back, his voice questioning. He approached her calmly, glancing at the set of keys before he set his eyes on her. "What was that?"

"A celestial guardian of mine," a fond smile crossed her lips as she held the key close to her. "I collected a portion of my memory from that feather, and it was all about my precious friends that I sealed within those feathers. I appointed them as the guardians of my memories. When the feather turned corrupt, the spirit residing inside will be corrupted as well."

"There are thirteen of them, then?" Zeref asked, once again glancing at the keys.

"Yes." She replied. "Aries, the White Lamb, is one of them. The other one that remained beside me is Leo the Lion, who was within these keys as well. I am sure that he was just waiting for the right moment--the time when I collect the portion of my memory from Aries, so she can be with him again."

"That was your memories is about?"

"Yes."

"Did you know why the feather turned corrupt then?"

"I supposed its because the feathers wasn't under the influence of any holy powers for a while now that it become corrupt. Not to mention that it absorbs the excess ethernano in this place, which, in fact, shouldn't since we did not use magic anyway. It will only tipped the balance of natural forces in this place."

"Then, did you know why your feather was in this village in the first place?"

"That . . . I don't know."

"That's bad," Zeref muttered. "We reach another dead end. If you don't have another clue about the remaining feathers of yours, we will have to travel yet again."

"Don't worry," Lucy beamed cheerfully, patting his shoulders as they decided to climb down the mountains. "I'm sure we can find them. Destiny will make sure of that."

Zeref, yet again, sigh.

Oh, well. Now what remains is that; _how can they supposed to explain the recent happenings to the villagers? Now that she "take" their precious golden treasure?_

This smell another trouble, yes.

xxx

**Author's Note: In this story, there's no celestial spirit magic. And thus, Yukino, Hisui, Sorano and another mages with this type of magic does not exist. And if they perhaps did a cameo, I will grant them another type of magic. And thus, Loke and the others aren't celestial spirits at all.**

**And yes, I updated early because I will be busy this upcoming Sunday 'cause I have to attend a debut of a friend. Anyway, I hope you like it! Thank you for the reviews, follows and faves!**

**Cheerios! - _Francene Kwon_**


	10. Tenrou Island

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does.**

**Warning: I have yet to proofread this chapter so excuse my unruly grammar. Thanks.**

xxx

**_Chapter 09: Tenrou Island_**

Lucy stared grimly at the approaching sunset. It had been two weeks since they had left Asisi's village and the world seemed to be having some problems that could tear itself apart. Some time before, she was curious as to whether or not somehow her power had caused this, but every time the thought surfaced she would shook it away. Holy powers was never used to cause harm to people, but help them instead. She doubted any one small anomaly could alter it this drastically. No, something else must be going on. Something big--and it was a little conceited of her to think she had anything to do with it.

Or is it really?

It was almost amaze her that Zeref himself didn't know what was going on either. His entire life seemed to be centered around cursed mishaps after all. How strange was it that he didn't seem to have the same problem currently. Of course, she was been there to treat him, if ever.

Although solving the problem of the human race brought a sense of relief flooding through her. She'd been able to fix something. She hadn't messed things up worse by getting involved--although she was indeed involve one way or another, still. The thought was kinda soothing.

Lucy pulled the hood of her cloak further over shadowed her face, hiding her identity from the sea of people. The city market was bustling with humans; the merchants beckoning her over to look their products. Pergrande is indeed the trading capital of Ishgar. It was hustling and bustling every day to get high-class products. So it was only reasonable for her to hate these days--when their food had run out and she was tasked to do Zeref's errands.

Smiling pleasantly, she weaved through the mass of customers and vendors. Today, she have the mission to do two things: One, buy their food supply and two, find herself a new key ring. Hers was already old and rusty.

She was looking through a variety of key rings when she heard the screams.

Clicking her tongue, she picked the golden one out of the selection and gave the woman her remaining jewels. "Here's my payement, Ma'am! Thank you so much!" She panicked, immediately skipping through the dark alleys to avoid the sudden asault.

She then heard the erruption of magic. Zeref prediction is right, as always. She was going to be assassinated, though he didn't specify who. He only told her to return to him safely after she remove them off of her way. They would surely be a hindrance to their future plans. He told her not to do a counter-attack either, for they might've recognise her and targeted her more often.

Of course, she did not want that.

Run. Distract. Go to Zeref. Leave.

So easy--she could do that, of course.

Lucy kept her eyes straight ahead, occasionally glancing at her back for her assaulters. She turned left, running straight for the forest without a second thought. This forest would directly take her to get to Zeref, and then he could teleport them out of here. It wasn't the best tactic, but she don't have a choice now, is she?

Just as she was about to turn right, her path was blocked by two men whose faces were hidden behind their own dark cloaks. She skidded into a stop, sighing.

"Please move out of my way," she said calmly, hand gripping onto her fleuve d'étoiles--a gift given to her by one of her guardian spirits before. "Or else . . ."

One of them scoffed. "You can't scare us, liitle girl."

The other nodded in agreement, stepping closer to her. "Now, where is Zeref!?"

With a _tch_, she uncoiled her whip and snapped it against the floor, making them jump back. She took this opportunity and grabbed one of her keys, raising it above her head. "Gate of the Ram, I open thee!" She slammed her hand down. "Aries!"

The celestial guardian spirit appeared in a puff of golden light and bowed to Lucy, smiling politely. "What can I do for you today, Lucy-sama?"

"Block them for me, please."

Aries nodded. "As you wish."

As the spirit began to make a wall of fluffy wool to block them, Lucy took out her communication lacrima. She tried contacting Zeref, but he wouldn't pick it up. She pouted. Of all times he had to give her a hard time.

With her enemies finally sleeping on the floor, she dismissed Aries and continued running to the forest. Soon, she found Zeref passed out, breathing heavily on the grassland.

"Zee!" She shouted worriedly, hurrying to his side. She lifted his head and rested it on her lap, holding his pale face with her gentle hands. "Come on, wake up, please!" She whispered restlessly. "Zee, we have to leave! Its not safe now."

When she got no response, her heart almost thump on her throat. She knew worrying would lead her to nothing. He was an immortal afterall. He wasn't going to die, so why was her blood rushing so fast? Is it adrenaline? The exasperation? Fear? Or was it something else?

But seconds later, he was gritting his teeth. "Lucy . . . Y-You're here."

"Yeah, yeah. Now, were leaving, Zee!"

"Give. . . Give me water."

"A-Alright." She said with a worried nod. She fetched for the tumbler in their packs and helped him drink it. "Do you need anything else? What in the name of the heavens happened to you?"

"The curse."

Lucy groaned, finally understanding the situation. Usually whenever his black magic would come and Lucy was not around, he felt lightheaded. He wouldn't be able to manage to think straight until she cast her own version of healing spell to him. He would have revolting migraines that would only leave if she sings songs to put him to sleep . . . Oh, god, that's right! She can do that, but not now.

"Zee, we have to go." She reminded him, eyes saddening at the sight of him whimpering.

"O-Okay," he breathed, panting. "I-I'll teleport us to Tenrou Island."

She nodded. "How about our bags?"

"Just leave them," he said weakly, leaning against her. "Ready?"

"Always."

"Alright," Zeref whispered, stretching his hand out. He recited a spell under his breath and together, they vanished, leaving behind only a trail of black smoke.

**xxx**

_"I was down my dreams were wearing thin. When you're lost where do you begin? My heart always seemed to drift from day to day looking for the love that never came my way."_ Lucy sang as she admired the night sky thoughtfully, the colour of midnight skies and scattered with brilliant small lights. It was a quiet evening. Although to some it could be their last and to others their first, to them, it was their own version of tranquility.

_"Then you smiled and I reached out to you. I could tell you were lonely, too. One look, then it all began for you and me. The moment that we touched I knew that there would be . . ."_

The sweet feeling of his raven hair weaving between her fingers was her serenity. With his head on her lap, the most evil wizard in the surface of the world sounds so asleep right in front of her. It was a moment to cherish, for her. But it was now always like this. During restless nights in the forests, he would lie down and lean to her. It was relaxing, watching him in those peaceful moments. It was almost obsessive.

_"Two less lonely people in the world and it's gonna be fine. Out of all the people in the world, I just can't believe you're mine. In my life where everything was wrong, something finally went right. Now there's two less lonely people in the world tonight . . ."_

Tenrou Island was tranquil since they returned, perhaps preparing for the mayhem that would errupt for the following days. She was thankful for that. Zeref was drained from talking to his comrades in the other continent and dealing his curse without her. It was taking a toll on him.

Zeref stirred awake. And when they their eyes met, they both smiled to each other. "Zee," she whispered, brushing away his forelocks away from his face. "Had a nice sleep?"

"I did," he replied pensively, staring past her and at the stars. "Sing again."

"You really like my voice that much, huh?" She chuckled as she continue to weave her fingers through his hair._ "Just to think what I might have missed, looking back how did I exist? I dreamed, still I never thought I'd come this far. But miracles come true, I know 'cause here we are . . ."_

She glanced at him, and he was staring back at her. _"Two less lonely people in the world and it's gonna be fine. Out of all the people in the world, I just can't believe you're mine. In my life where everything was wrong, something finally went right. Now there's two less lonely people in the world tonight . . ."_

"Beautiful," he whispered to her. "As always."

"Are you excited to meet your brother again?" Lucy questioned gently, humming the melody of the song. She didn't know if it was okay with him but she wanted to know anyway. Because if he wasn't ready to see his little brother then she would drag him away--at this very moment. And they would resume traveling to the places they wanted to visit.

Zeref sighed forlornly. "I guess," he mumbled back, his eyes shining with the reflection of the midnight sky. "I've waited four hundred years just for this day and I can't turn back now."

"Why?" She asked curiously.

"That's . . ." He trailed off, anxious. _Not now. _Not when the moment is too perfect to be ruined. "I can't say yet."

Smiling in understanding, she nodded. She respected his secrets, as long as they weren't too big to hurt him. She wanted him to be always happy afterall. And as long as he have her by his side, Lucy would do everything to make him happy and cured.

_"Tonight I fell in love with you and all the things I never knew seemed to come to me somehow. Baby, love is here and now there's . . ."_ She continue instead so he could sleep again. _"Two less lonely people in the world and it's gonna be fine. Out of all the people in the world, I just can't believe you're mine. In my life where everything was wrong, something finally went right. Now there's two less lonely people in the world tonight."_

Zeref closed his eyes as he clenched his jaw, whispering a silent apology to Lucy. He had never felt this hesitant to tell her that he still wanted to die. It wasn't something that he wanted her to know, but it was important. _She needed to know_. And yet he couldn't--he don't wish to hurt her. He didn't want to betray her, especially her trust and loyalty to him, but he had no choice.

Since when did he have a choice anyway?

And like what the song said,_"In my life where everything was wrong, something finally went right."_

He cared for her too much to do that.

xxx

**Author's Note: I was so happy that midterms already passed by with the disastrous wind, gosh! To say the least, I was satisfied with my answers anyway, especially to my Accounting and Literature subjects.**

**PLEASE READ--I've been keeping a lot of chapters on my draft and I'm planning to have a bonus release (2 chapters plus the 1 weekly chapter uploded at once equals to three chapters in a row!) _if the faves and follows reached 35 each_! Don't worry, I'm going to upload these chapters either way (though slow/weekly), even if we don't reach the quota because I love ya guys and Fairy Tail is the half of my life. Reviews is also good, too! And, I'm not greedy or anything, I'm just giving out options for fast updates if you're curious what will happen next lol.**

**SHAMELESS PLUG: If you're interested in original fantasy novels, can you please check out my story in Wattpad? Its called 'Argentine: The Chivalrous Knights Series, #1' and my username is 'cenaquinox'. If you enjoyed my writing styles here, I'm sure you'll love my originals as well. Thanks!**

**Cheerios! - _Francene Kwon_**


	11. The Third Clue

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does.**

**Warning: I have yet to proofread this chapter so excuse my unruly grammar. Thanks.**

xxx

**_Chapter 10: The Third Clue_**

Having an exceptional sharp senses, Lucy seem quite amused by the sudden turn of events. She never anticipated that the so-called S-Class Trial would be this . . . How should she put it into words without being harsh and cruel?

Yeah, it was sort of fun to hear them fight with one another.

Although she know that it was just for the sake of being promoted.

Lucy even wondered what will happen to her if she choose to stay in Magnolia and join Fairy Tail instead of being with Zeref. Still, even if she grow to love Magnolia, she did not regret being with Zeref at all. Despite the fact that the latter was a complex character--he's sometimes demanding and bossy to her, but he was always been the loner and quiet type like a child that she needs to take care of--still, Lucy was so fond of him one way or another.

That indestructible bond that Fairy Tail holds with each other was something commendable, though.

"Lucy," he suddenly called her, pulling her out of her reverie.

"Hmm?" She smiled when their eyes met. She was sitting in a branch of a tree with a fine distance between them. If they manage to stumble upon Natsu, they both agreed that she needs to be as far away as possible. She understands that Zeref wanted to have a private conversation and a lovely reunion with his little brother so she will instantly step away the moment their plan begins.

"If ever . . . If ever you'll encounter a serious opponent, call me right away. Are we clear?" He asked in a serious tone.

Lucy looked at him like he grew two heads. "Of all people, you know very well what I'm capable of. So, just have that love-love reunion with your brother already. Don't worry about me." She waved her hand dismissively.

"Lucy," Zeref warned, eyes narrowing in a threatening manner. "You'll do what I say."

"Geez, stop being so grumpy like an old man." She muttered, rolling her eyes. She smirked. "Right, you're an old man already, I forgot."

He glared at her. "Shut up," he grumbled. "You're the one to talk."

She was about to retort when they heard a loud crash, resulting for both of them to turn towards the direction. Someone had just fallen off. Then, they heard a loud bickering resounded in the quiet forest.

". . . That thing from before was just an act to throw Mira off of her guard! Quit thinking that I have a thing for you!"

"Same here! But that was amazing underhanded tactic you had."

"Please, its not underhanded!"

In the other corner, Zeref glanced at her. "It seem like your calculation is proceeding on schedule."

"Hah," she puffed her chest, grinning proudly. "Told you so. Looks like I'm smarter than you since like my plan surpass yours, little boy."

Both Lucy and Zeref made strategies and tactics that will help them to lay out their plans. They even fought for having different opinions and schemes, but it seem like Lucy's calculations is right.

Before Natsu could find them, a pair of his guildmates will find them first. Then Zeref's presence will lure Natsu out.

"Don't flatter yourself too much." He fought the urge to roll his eyes. "Its expected since you're an old granny--with experience and all." He smirked.

"Oh, leave me alone." She snarled, looking away. "I'll take my leave then. Can you handle them by yourself?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "If it is like what we had planned, Natsu will show up minutes after I showed myself to those two. I'll handle everything that will transpire next."

"Then, I'll wait for you in our arranged place to meet." She waved at him before she leaped to the other branch of a tree. "See you later, Zee!"

Zeref watched her retreating figure away from him. The life in his black eyes a moment ago vanished and was replaced by forlorn and agony. Clenching his fist together, he whispered, "there might be no later for me, Lucy. I'm sorry,"

Lucy's waiting for his return will be in vain.

Because he will be killed by Natsu today.

xxx

Lucy did expect a sudden attack.

Though she did expect that someone will have the ability to find her that quickly. Well, at least she suspect that they will find her once Zeref comes back. But not this soon.

She's just patiently waiting for Zeref to return after he found his brother, but someone from the Grimoire Heart's Seven Kin of Purgatory launch an attack to her.

Without expressing her distress, she met the two pairs of eyes of two women she come across with. The first girl seem to be just fourteen or fifteen years old, with short pink hair and red cloak. The other one is probably in her late-twenties in a battle armour. She seem so menacing due to that red lipstick of hers.

Lucy looked curious. They must be wizards from Grimoire Hearts, since she knew everyone from Fairy Tail already, as per Zeref fill her such information before they set out in their journey. And they don't look friendly at all.

They both glared at her.

Lucy did not want any fights, and want to settle every argument as peaceful as possible. But, it looks like a truce would not be nowhere near attainable at all.

"What a surprise, are you a fairy?" The older one sneered.

"Must be, Ultear. This pathetic island is brimming with the likes of them." The younger one replied emotionlessly.

Lucy blinked, but she remained calm and collected. She can take both of them by herself, if she wanted. But really, she strongly believe that fighting wouldn't solve such misunderstanding, but she didn't have a choice now, did she?

"Meredy, I'll leave this one to you, okay?" Ultear said cruelly, smirking.

"Leave her to me, Ultear. Soon, I'll make sure she'll beg on her knees." Meredy replied menacingly as she prepared herself to cast a spell.

"Kill her," Ultear ordered her one last time before she disappeared in the middle of the thick forest.

Kill Lucy? Kill an immortal like her? Like they could. Injured, yes, but she'll not die.

"So, shall we start?" Meredy asked cunningly.

Lucy realised that they are alone now. She looked at the girl calmly and smiled. "Look, I don't want to fight you, and I advise you to leave me alone."

"Like hell I would!" She began to chant her spell. "Maguility Rays!" Several lethal-looking blades appeared in front of Meredy, before it rush toward Lucy.

The blonde angel swiftly dodged the attack and reach out to her whip. It coiled around Meredy's leg, Lucy casually pulled her whip together with the pinkette which caused her to fall in the ground with a loud thud.

"Please, you can still stop. I hate fighting." Lucy offered kindly, but it seem like it only infurate the kid more.

Angrily, she got up to her feet and chanted, "maguility sodom!"

Ah. She really don't understand youth these days.

xxx

Although it didn't took her too long to defeat Meredy, she was still out of energy. She tried her best to stay awake while traversing deep in the forest of Tenrou Island.

She did not know where Zeref was. Her plans was messed up now after the arrival of Grimoire Hearts. Despite that fact, she still have schemes on her sleeves and those destroyed plans were something she could repair.

Not now, though.

Swallowing a lump on her throat, Lucy looked at the golden feather on her hand. She did not know how the Grimoire Heart come in contract with her feather but now that she had collected the third one, a new set of memories came rushing through her head.

After her fight with Meredy, she come across with a man named Zoldeo. To her surprise, he's in possession of what was rightfully hers. And, of course, she had to fight him to claim it back.

The Gate of the Goat, Capricorn. His guarded feather holds the memories she had when she first meet the young Zeref--even before he become an immortal. Some doesn't make sense at all, but at least she had a gist of what happened before.

And this is where her oldest memory starts.

_A millennia in a blink of an eye has passed in her eyes. She still have a lot to learn from the other world, but she have all the time that she needs._

_On one of the courses in the cycle of time, Lucy decided to visit Earthland for the first time. So, she descend from the Heaven's Palace and stepped onto the foreign land._

_With a content smile, Lucy sat down on a small tree of cherry blossom. She might as well relax and take a small nap first before she set out on her adventure. Reading a nice book is somewhat thrilling as well._

_After an hour or two, Lucy heard a twig snapped behind her. Setting her book down, she glanced at her back with a slight frown. "Come, I know someone's there." She said in a calm voice._

_Slowly, a small figure emerged from the near rose bushes. Its a little boy no older than seven who was a living juxtaposition of black and white. He wore a white sash drapped across a white tunic. He has short obsidian hair, and his eyes were as dark as midnight, yet somehow, it was the most dazzling and brightest eyes she ever seen._

_Lucy smiled warmly at him. "May I have the pleasure to know your name, little boy?"_

_He curiously looked at her with his big, bright eyes. "My name is Zeref. Zeref Dragneel."_

_"Zeref," she let his name rolled in her tongue, before a grin slipped off her face. "Beautiful. Do you know the meaning of your name, Zeref?"_

_The boy shook his head and Lucy gestured him to come closer to her. He hesitated for a second but when he saw her kind smile, his slight reluctance slipped away. He jogged towards her and she patted the space beside her, which he took._

_"Zeref is a various name for Seraph or Seraphim--the high ranking angels in the Heaven society." Her smiled widened at the boy's dumbfounded look, patting his head. "Say, what are you doing here, Zeref?"_

_He lowered his gaze to his lap, where he fidget with his fingers nervously. "I'm looking for my little brother. He was lost."_

_Lucy looked thoughful. "Hmm. What does your brother look like?"_

_His black eyes flashed with doubt and suspicion. With this kind of expressions, Lucy could tell that he was a very careful and guarded child._

_"Well, if you don't want to tell me, I'll still help you look for him." She smiled once again and tugged his little hand. "Come now, I have the time to help you out since I'm bored. And I won't take no for an answer." She said, winking._

The memory stopped there.

She can't believed that she herself help him before. And it was because of his brother again! That Natsu, really . . . She's now interested to meet him, too

Lucy almost jumped when she felt a sudden resonance of magic within her mind. This familiar feeling . . . It seems like Zeref was trying to contact her now. He always did this--talking to her using telephathy when he's tired, or simply lazing around.

But she can't answer him now. She was drained from her continuous fight, and she purify the corrupted feather of Capricorn so she could extract his key and memory from it. It appears to her that all of her feathers must be corrupted by now, and it'll take her a while in order to gather them all.

Well, at least she have three now. And that leaves the missing ten.

With a shuddering sigh, she let herself fall on the ground before closing her eyes. Maybe a little nap would replenish her energy.

Wherever Zeref was, she hoped he was safe. With a smile, she just can't wait to be in his arms again.

xxx

**Author's Note: Yey! Capricorn has been found! That was actually the sole reason why I added the Tenrou Arc. It won't affect the general plot, though, so I didn't stick on this particular arc too long. In the next proceeding chapters, the new arc shall occur.**

**And no, Zercy won't happen anytime soon. But I'll gave out hints and slight romance along the way. I planned out their romantic relationship to have . . . Uh, slow paced? Because clearly, Zeref is _still_ in love with Mavis all this time, and you know _love_. Although Zeref cared for Lucy, as a companion or friend, his urge to kill himself is still there.**

**But yeah, aside from romantic relationship, I will try to build up their bond and trust to each other first. Of course, their friendship. Not to mention I have this certain idea in my head that Lucy _must_ join Fairy Tail--at all cost. And I already have the layouts for the entirety of the plot. Haha. Do wait for it.**

**Cheerios! - _Francene Kwo_****_n_**


	12. A Gift in Black

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does.**

**Warning: I have yet to proofread this chapter so excuse my unruly grammar. Thanks.**

xxx

**_Chapter 11: A Gift in Black_**

Zeref could feel the rain soaking him awake, and he felt that someone was carrying him--or rather dragging him away. He was stirring when the absence of Lucy's presence become aware to him.

He tried to connect his mind to hers through telepathy, but she won't answer him. He couldn't even feel the warmth of her power in their temporary link. All he could feel is silence and coldness. He slightly clenched his jaw, fearing for the safety of the girl on the other side of his magic thread.

Everything was blurry, but slowly, he could hear the bickering of people around him. And with a thundering explosion, he was suddenly thrown on the ground. It scratched his skin, but he could care less, and its not like he could stand anyway.

The girl dragging him a while ago was pleading to the other, saying further that he was their hope for a better future.

Zeref, though still lying on the ground, smirk at that. Him? A hope for their future? Goodness, he will definitely end that if something bad happened to Lucy.

"Ul told me that if we have Zeref, he will be the king of the great world of magic and he will able to make my town back to how it used to be." The girl spoke softly.

The man she talked to laughed menacingly, grating his ears. "The one who destroyed your town is Ultear-san herself!"

That silenced the girl which made the man laughed again. The sound of the rain resounds in his ears. Right, that Ultear woman . . . She's the one who knocked him out.

"That's . . . That's not true . . ."

But the man only laughed at her naive and foolish expressions.

Then, Zeref froze. He felt a terrible amount of magic power rushed through him as his veins run cold.

He pushed himself off the ground, his forelocks covering his eyes. "Acnologia . . ." He breathed.

The man lifted him by the back of his robes. "Hm? You're awake?" His brows raised to the hairline.

_Lucy_ . . .

He needed to find Lucy!

And this guys was in his way . . .

It looks like he had gone easy to them.

He did not suppress the flaming rage inside him. The urge to kill every single person walking in this island was growing stronger by each and every second that passed. With a ruthless and cold glare from his blood red eyes, Zeref turned his head to the god slayer.

His curse was activating again, which means Lucy wasn't within his radius anymore. And he did not tried to vanquish it, and instead, he filled it with much hatred and fury.

The black miasma expanded around him, and the life of the god slayer was sucked out. Zeref could already feel his life force inside him. Within a few seconds, he fell on the floor.

Zeref clenched his fist as he tried to control his burning wrath to the point that his knuckles turned white. He tried to reach out to Lucy's mind again, but she didn't answer.

He calmed down his nerves with a shaky breath. He looked down at the god slayer who lied lifeless on the ground with his black eyes that expressed guilt as he whispered a silent apology.

"I'm sorry," he said meekly, as he crouched to close the dead body's eyes.

He straighten his back, and observed his surroundings. Thankfully, the water mage and the pinkette was still alive. That made him smile. But it quickly fell when he realise that he needed to find her.

_Lucy_ . . .

They needed to leave this island as soon as possible.

xxx

_'Lucy!'_

She stirred at her sleep.

_'Where in the world are you, Lucy?!'_

She heard him again.

"I . . ." She tried to reach her mind to his, but her magic power is not sufficient enough to link her mind to him. He wasn't within her radius, but because of Zeref's overwhelming magic, she could hear him. But she can't answer him.

Her eyes widened when she saw the black creature descending from the skies. In the back of her mind, she was screaming to herself that she have to get up. She must get up. She needed to get off this island, with Zeref, of course.

"Acnologia . . ." She hissed sharply.

The black dragon landed on the ground with a loud crash, wrecking countless of trees in the process. It screeched so loud that she almost went deaf and flew away due to the current it gave off. And Fairy Tail members seem to recognise its presence as well.

"Argh," she grunted, fearing for the lives that might lose with the power of the dragon. "Leave . . . This island . . ."

_'Lucy, answer me! Goddamnit!'_

Zeref . . . He was calling for her, but she couldn't speak. She tried her best to reach out his mind.

_'I'm here . . .'_

"Hurry! The ship is not far away!"

"We gotta be together till the end!"

"Run now!"

Continuous cries of the faries flared her ears and after that, they bombarded Acnologia with their own magic spells. Lucy drew a shaky breath, tears threatening to fall on the side of her eyes, it flashed with concern for the people she met a few months ago.

A moment later, she felt Zeref's presence come to her. He quickly teleported his way to her as soon as he found her whereabouts. They both saw the dragon took flight and opened its fanged mouth, seemingly preparing to release a roar.

Lucy's heart almost jumped in her throat at the sight. She never once feared dragons before because their kind co-exist within the walls of the Heaven's Palace. But as she come to know the history of dragons in Earthland, she become wary of them.

Zeref pulled her towards him, gently pushing her head against his chest and burried her face in his robes. He whispered words of comfort and reassurance to her ears with a soft voice. "Its alright, you don't have to look . . . Luce."

She was shaking in fright, and the rapid beating of their hearts pound in her ears. She couldn't hear anything because he secured his hands on her ears, and that somehow calmed her down. His presence was enough to secure and assured her that everything will be alright.

But, it would not.

The moment he release her from his embrace, she found themselves sitting on the middle of a dense forest in Caelum. Lucy held onto his robes firmly, fearing that he might disappear as well.

"Sorry," Zeref breathed, pulling her by the shoulders to hug her once more. "I shouldn't have panicked. I supposed to teleport us directly to Alakitasia but--Luce?"

With teary eyes, she met his gaze lit with concern. "We . . . We shouldn't have leave . . . Them. We could've . . . . Help them . . ." She choked, letting her tears fall in her eyes. Yes, she holds no bond against those fairies, but that guild reminds her so much of her home that it almost break her heart to see them died like that.

Zeref clenched his jaw and looked away, but he still tried to soothe her back to comfort her even though he wanted to cry himself. His brother was dead in that island as well, but making sure that Lucy is safe and fine would be his top priority for now. He'll grieve later, but not now.

Zeref seem to notice how she can't properly move her own body as she practically leaning to him with all her weight. "What happened, Luce?"

"I acquired my feather in one of the Grimoire Heart's core members. I don't really know what happened, but Capricorn was with him all this time and Zoldeo seem to control him to do his bidding. I have to fight my way to him and purify the feather as well." She murmured quietly, her face still burried in his chest.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you," he hugged her tight for the third time as he heaved a deep sigh. "I did not want you to get hurt, but I can't do anything . . ."

Lucy smiled, weaving her fingers through the soft silk of his obsidian hair. "Its alright," she told him gently. "By the way, I remember now how I met you for the first time."

He hummed something in reply. "You do? Well, you were so pretty even then."

"What?"

"Nothing."

They remined silent for a good ten minutes, before finally, they decided to rest well together.

xxx

"We'll go to Alvarez in a few weeks." Zeref said, analysing the maps and scrolls laid in front of him. "What do you think? Or do you do need more time?"

She peered at him from the book she's reading. "Not really. I suggest we go." She replied as she shifted her position, lying on her stomach with her book before her. Zeref sat beside her, busy like her.

Its been a three weeks since the disappearance of Fairy Tail, and the pair rarely talk about it since it seem to be a sensitive topic for Zeref. Of course, Natsu was there. Sometimes, she would be awaken by his continuous nightmares. When she woke him up, she would always pried for him to talk about it. And it will make him feel much better.

"Luce?" He called amidst the silence lingering between them.

"Hm--hey!"

He snatched the book in her hands and placed a small rectangular glossy box in front of her. There was a black ribbon that tied on it as well. He looked at him curiously, brows tossing in her hairline.

That smile on his face was so gentle that made her flushed. "What's this for?"

"I did realise that you don't have a birthday at all, right? So, I decided to give you a present for your best company on the seventh month since we start our adventure." He ruffled her hair affectionately. "I appreaciate everything you did for me, Luce."

She pouted to stop the threatening smile from spreading on her face. Slowly, she pulled the ribbon away from the box and opened it. He might've not realised that he was calling her by the nickname he gave her for the last three weeks now. Not that she mind that though.

Her jaws flapped open when she saw the thing that lay inside. It was a black jade flute. It was heavier than it look like, with the complete length of her forearm. It was crystal clear, shining underneath the blankets of moonlight. In its ends hung a white tassel. A white keystone was attached to its forehead and a few white diamonds decorated its entire body.

"Wha--this is . . . I . . ." She trailed in shock, staring at the beautiful flute in her hands. She suddenly saw a blurry memory of herself playing a flute under the the moonlight with her wings spreads apart, but her back looked so lonely and desolate for some unknown reasons and for who she was playing at was also unfamiliar to herself.

"I know you love music a lot. And you mentioned to me before that you like playing music instruments as well." Zeref told her, ruffling her hair. "A flute, in particular. So, I decided to give you one. I was thinking of giving you a zither first, but that would be tiring to carry around."

With an excited smile, she gently placed her lips on it, and played the instrumental tune of _Endless Love_\--her favourite music of all time.

_'Every night is pierced through by heartbreaks. There is no end to my longing. I've gotten used to lonely meetings a long time ago, and I face it with a smile.'_

Closing her eyes, Lucy sang the lyrics of the song in her mind as her fingers did the wonders on the flute holes to produce its unearthly melody.

Zeref leaned to his head to her shoulder, relaxing himself as he listen to the calming tune she create. This is one of his favourite moments with her, when she just sang at him or humming different music that calmed his heart.

_'Believe me, you chose to wait. No matter how painful it is, there is no running away. Only your warmth can save me from the endless cold.'_

"Thank you for this, Zee. I really love it." Her eyes twinkled as she held the flute in her chest.

"No problem," he chuckled. "Made it especially for you."

She flushed in embarrasment. "Thanks . . ."

She reminded herself that she will make a memorable gift to him as well. Bringing the flute in her lips once more, she continue to play.

_'Now tightly hold my hands, and close your eyes. Please think about the times when we were deeply in love. We loved each other too much that is why we have been in such pain. We cannot even say the words "I love you " to each other.'_

xxx

**Author's Note: Yup, no Zercy, not at all XD. Its just an expression of gratitude and friendship, nothing more, guys. Don't assume that their relationship would blossom just like that lolol.**

**Anyway, some of the scenes here and the previous chapters (including in the upcoming ones) will be somewhat based on the Manga but not entirely. I know you can see it, though haha. And oh, this is the official end of the Tenrou Arc and the beginning of a new one. I don't know if you'll love how the story will progress in the proceeding chapters because I can assure you, Lucy will PREACH a lot.**

**THANKS FOR THE FAVES, FOLLOWS AND REVIEWS, GUYS. I REALLY LOVE THEM.**

**Cheerios! - _Francene Kwon_**


	13. When Love is Patient

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does.**

**Warning: I have yet to proofread this chapter so excuse my unruly grammar. Thanks.**

xxx

**_Chapter 12: When Love Is Patient_**

_"If you're patient, you're slow to anger, you endure personal wrongs without retaliating. You bear with others' imperfections, faults, and differences. You give them time to change, room to make mistakes without coming down hard on them." - Steven Cole_

The Alvarez Empire is an enormous territory, and Lucy would dare to say that it rivals the length of jurisdiction of the Heaven's Palace. The entirety of the empire was located in the western peninsula of Alakitasia and its current regime is monarchy. The whole continent, under the influence of the Alvarez Empire, acts as its absolute ruler, was led by an emperor called Spriggan.

Lucy was well-aware of Zeref's status in Alakitasia and he made her swore an oath to never call him by his true name in public.

Lucy's eyes was filled with feelings of excitement and curiosity as she looked at the towering buildings and busy streets of Alvarez's capital, the Vistarion. There were so much people scattered along the roads--with adults laughing, children playing and vendors still selling.

It was an overall mejestic place and she commended Zeref for making such country to look lively and discipline at the same time.

Zeref was out to talk to his subordinates in his palace for a while and arrange everything that needs to be done before he introduced her to everyone. So, before that happen, she decided to roam around the capital for a while. Zeref told her that he will send someone to fetch her after he finished his works anyway.

"This is absolutely beautiful," she mused excitedly, whipping her head back and forth as she watched in childish eagerness the children play the floating bubbles in front of her.

Unknown to her, a pair of sharp black eyes watched her intently from the distance.

Lucy sat on one of the stone benches in the park while eating chocolate she brough with the money Zeref led her. A few months ago, he was quite amused when he learned the fact that she survived without pocket money on her travels. Well, she often eat fruits from some random trees anyway so she did not need money anymore.

While quietly eating, she heard a conversation from a near distance. Even the man who observed her movements glanced at their direction.

"Argh! I'm so pissed right now, Jane! All of our efforts went in vain!"

"Calm down now, Rhia."

Curiously, Lucy looked at them. With an approachable smile, she asked, "is there something wrong, girls?" She asked. "I'm Lucy, nice to meet you!"

"Hello, Miss Lucy. I'm Rhia, and this is my friend, Jane." They both smiled back at her.

"Sorry to eavesdrop to your conversation but it seems like something bad happens to you two, no?" Lucy clicked her tongue.

"Yes, Miss Lucy!" Rhia frowned. "Actually, we have entered a singing competition in our guild earlier, but our music was been sabotage."

"Although I doubt our efforts went in complete vain, Rhia. I bet some of our guild members liked our acapella version rather than the ones with defeaning beats." Jane softly told them.

Rhia huffed. "Che. Its still obvious that someone sabotage us. . ."

Lucy patted both their shoulders. "Calm down, girls." She chuckled. "What really matters is that both of you loved what you're doing within your heart. Even if other people did not appreciate it, control your hatred and don't think ill of them. _Love is still patient_. At the end of the day, you'll be the one that will stressed about it if you let it get into you anyway."

The two looked at her in astonishment before they laughed and did a high-five. "Wow, that was something, Miss Lucy!"

The girls conversed for a while about their own opinions in love and life and before they knew it, their little circle has expanded and many people, including adults and children, listen to her speak her beliefs.

A fair-skinned old man with black eyes and silvery hair cleared his throat to gain her attention. "Pardon my intrusion, but I assume you are Miss Lucy?"

The crowd around her parted like a red sea and they started to tremble in fear. The old man possesses terrifying strength in magic power. His sharp calculating eyes landed on the small figure of the girl that remain unfaze.

"Yes, how can I help you?" Lucy smiled kindly, waving her hand to some people that run off while she talk to this old man. He does seem intimidating and powerful, but she cannot sense any malice and powerlust in him.

"His Majesty, the Emperor, wishes your presence in the imperial palace." He simply told her. But he was quite curious to the girl as she remain calm and collected under the heavy pressure of his magic. This was definitely the first time that someone acted unfaze. "I shall be your escort."

"Oh, I see." She stood up and faced him with an approachable smile. "As you may know, my name is Lucy. A friend and companion to Spriggan." She just realised that this man is really tall and Lucy could tell that he was so handsome in his youth with that high cheekbones and pronounced nose bridge. For some reason, this guy kinda reminds her of Zeref himself and she don't know why.

"His Majesty brief us a few facts about you."

"May I have the liberty to know your name, sire?"

"August," he replied casually as they began to walk towards the direction of the imperial palace. "I was named August."

"The eighth month of the year, I see. What a unique choice of name, by the way." Lucy chuckled.

She noticed that the town's people were avoiding them, or rather, they clearly avoid crossing paths with August himself. She cannot blame them, though. The guy really radiates off the aura and presence that screams supreme and majesty. But when you feel his powers closely, it harbours no ill-intention and malice at all.

"Pardon me for asking this, Miss Lucy." August suddenly intoned, his voice calm and sincere. "I did not intented to eavesdrop, but I heard your conversation earlier. What do you mean by . . . Love is patient?"

Lucy was surprise for a moment before she smiled kindly. "Ah, that." She remarked. "You see, in this world, there are people that will always pull us down or they would simply want to destroy us--people that would fail us and makes us unhappy. I admit, that cannot be helped." She explained. "But if we have love in our hearts, we will always have the patient to tolerate those kind of people."

August glanced at her. "That's too conceptual, Miss Lucy. Even the most patient person in this world couldn't handle the annoyance and anger for the people that wronged them.. Its in human nature to want revenge and vengeance to get even."

Lucy nodded in understanding as they passed the series of guards stationed in the entrance of the palace. "But in a person that let love reign in their hearts, even if its too conceptual or ideal, they would try to practiced being patient even more. Humans tend to care and love naturally, now, all we have to do is to know how to handle them. Come to think of it, if patient humans dominates this world, they would be able prevent chaos and war."

August silently listened to her with pursed lips. His stare is quite skeptic.

"In addition to that, if humans are patient, wouldn't they become understanding and rational, yes?" She curtly dipped her head low to the people they passed by. "If you are a patient person, you're won't be angered easily. You can endure general and personal wrongs without retaliating or feeling the need for vengeance. You could tolerate everyone's imperfections, faults, and differences. You will patiently give them time to change, room to make mistakes without coming down hard on them."

August remained speechless and Lucy mistook his silence for his suspicion and skepticism to her words. She then admired the walls within the imperial palace with excitement and curiosity while the tall man lead their way.

Unknown to her, August was struck with something as he keep glancing at her in the corner of his eyes with mixed feelings. He never viewed love that way . . . Or rather, he don't know what love really is. He never . . . Felt anything like that before.

They waltz their way towards the throne hall in silence.

He never knew that being patient will be connected to love. He admit, even if he's one patient person, he would subconsciously think of a way to get even towards the people who wronged him.

Somehow, he was lightened by the love that Lucy introduced to him. It was probably the definition he's been waiting for all this time. But, for some reasons, he felt bad.

Not for other people.

But for himself.

"I have been waiting for you," a deep voice break him out of his thoughts.

When he looked up, they both saw the figure of the current emperor sitting on his throne. On the other side of Zeref stood a young man in his late teens with long blue hair that was tied in a ponytail, blue eyes with glasses. He looks to be quite stiff and respectable individual.

"Do I still need to curtsey?" Lucy asked innocently, in pure curiousity as she looked around the thone hall.

Zeref chuckled, standing up to his throne and walked towards her. "No need, you know that I hate it when you do it yourself." He glanced over his shoulders. "And, you don't have to be especially wary of her, Invel. I can assure that she's a trustworthy person."

"I do not intended any offence, Your Majesty. However, I cannot be somewhat please to have a person with unknown background here." Invel, the one with blue hair, intoned, his glasses glinting that hides the malice and doubt in his sharp, blue eyes.

"I'm Lucy, and I understand if you don't trust me yet. But, I can assure you that my loyalty lies to Spriggan only." Lucy smiled kindly, lowering her head to pay her respects to them.

Zeref sighed as he shook her head. "I told you, I don't need you to do that." He said, refering to her recent actions. Although he had already assume that his orders would be futile, considering her stubborn attitude.

"But, I want to." She argued. "And its not for you anyway."

He sighed again before he turned to Invel, who seem to realise that the bond between the two was quite something during their exchange. "I know that this is sudden, but I want you to gather the Twelve, Invel."

Invel blinked. "That . . . Your Majesty, would be quite difficult. If I had predicted that the first wind of spring would somewhat blow you through the doors of the imperial palace, I would have had the time to assemble your orders and gather them."

"Ah, yes, yes. I somehow found myself to be an inconsistent breeze." Zeref said, smilingly. "Don't you think so, Lucy?"

"I certainly agree in you being inconsistent, but being a breeze? I doubt it." She chuckled, earning a brow raised from his companion.

"Well, you're the one to talk. If we're talking about being inconsistent, I can recommend you first to the list." Zeref remarked jokingly. "I may be second, though. But you are definitely the first."

"Quit being so mean."

"I am not. I simply stating facts."

"Then, get your facts straight!"

They stared at each other before they laughed.

"My, being a spring breeze does not fit His Majesty at all."

"A black wind that brings death befit His Majesty more, right?"

Two, new voices echoed through the throne hall. When everyone turned their heads to their direction, Lucy saw a woman and a man. Their ages seem to be on par with Invel. The woman have a slender figure with cropped short blonde hair and brown eyes. The other man have a tan-skinned with brown hair that spiked widely in every direction. The latter also wore a playful, yet antagonistic grin.

"Dimaria, Ajeel, seem to be looking quite good, aren't you two?" Zeref intoned as he look at his loyal pawns that entered his domain one by one.

"Damn right!" Ajeel agreed informally.

"Well, I can somehow agree." Dimaria replied with a small grin.

"How many times do I have to inform you that you should maintain the tone of respect when talking to His Majesty, you two?" Invel intoned sharply, fixing his glasses. The pair just ignored him though.

Lucy looked at them in amusement.

"Its fine, Invel." Zeref smiled before he turned to look at August, who remain quiet all this time in the side. "August, how are you?"

"I'm doing great, Your Majesty." He replied calmly, his aura imposing that almost left Lucy at awe. "If I may add, you seem to be quite lively and carefree these days, my king. Have you finally come to a desicion?"

"Ah, perhaps . . ." Zeref smiled mysteriously, secretly glancing at Lucy. "Perhaps not. Who knows?"

"How about Ragnarok?"

"Ishgar call it the Festival of the Dragon King, August." Zeref corrected.

"Then, there would be war? Sweeet!" Ajeel injected, grinning widely. The others present seem to express their excitement as well.

Lucy frowned at the word 'war'. She didn't quite catch what they are talking about, but it seem that they are likely to plan their invasion or something.

"We'll talk about that after Invel gather the Twelve as soon as possible." Zeref firmly told them as he caught a glimpse of her confusion and troubled expression.

"Yes, Your Majesty. I will immediately arrange a gathering per your request. Now, if you'll excuse me." Invel quickly said, bowing one last time before he fled out of the hall.

"He's as stiff as ever." Dimaria remarked, sneering.

"Yep. Invel's a boring man." Ajeel gloated merrily.

"Quiet, you two." August huffed.

"Then, we'll take our leave as well." Zeref smiled at them before grabbing Lucy's hand. "And wait fot my orders before moving. Especially you, Ajeel."

And they left the hall, hand in hand, leaving the people they left behind inquiring what sort of relationship their Emperor and the unknown woman have, really

xxx

**Author's Note: Yeahhh, the Alvarez arc starts now! I am so sorry for the super late update. Our school works piled up real' hard on me right now, not to mention our finals Anyway, yes, there would be Christian doctrines and parables that I will explain here, especially the 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 which is all about love, ah. I am a Roman Catholic, and its just so random that I'll add Bible verses here. If you don't like it and you practice different religion from mine, well, I can't do anything about it. I am not insulting any other religions or something, please understand. Thank you!**

**Cheerios! - _Francene Kwon_**


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